The Legendary Chronicles: The Kingdoms of Fallen Stars
by Kapra90
Summary: Taking place a day after the events of Frozen Fever Pitch, our heroes have recovered from Bumby's tyranny. However, when a presumed to be fallen enemy emerges with a new army, they all discover just how badly their past will come to haunt them. Featuring characters from Wreck it Ralph and Tangled, the Kinship forges new bonds to fight against evil once more. More details inside.
1. Envisioning Ominous Dreams

**Good evening readers, Kapra here with a brand new story... yes, I have finally completed the next sequel in** **The Legendary Chronicles** **series; I plan to make each chapter a bit shorter in length than I did for** **Founding of the Kinship** **, hopefully that will make it an easier read for many. To make you all aware, this story will comprise of the following crossovers: AMA/AMR x ROTG/Guardians of Childhood x Frozen x Wreck it Ralph, along with characters from HTTYD x Brave x Tangled to play minor/secondary roles. Keeping this in mind, I hope you are pumped and ready to read! For pictures and other fanfiction related media I have made, please check out fanfictionqueen90 on tumblr! Well, what are you waiting for? Read and enjoy!**

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Alice opened her eyes, exhaling slowly as she found herself basked in light coming from above ground as she stood in the decrepit train station. She glanced to the side to see remnants of blood splattered on the wall where she had first killed Bumby, pushing him right into the train's path. She returned her attention to the light, ascending the steps slowly. She raised a brow as she gripped the hand rail, glancing around when she reached the top. London had changed with her, a happy mingling between her Wonderland and the vast city. She walked along the cobblestone path that was sprinkled with patches of grass here and there, looking upon the buildings surrounded by large mushrooms, dice, other enlarged common objects. She stopped when a familiar face appeared before her, smirking lightly.

"Ah, Alice… we can't go home again. No surprise, really… only very few find the way, and most of them don't recognize it once they do. Delusions too, die hard; only the savage regard the endurance of pain as the measure of worth. Forgetting pain is convenient, remembering it, agonizing. But recovering the truth is worth the suffering; and our Wonderland, though damaged, is safe in memory… for now…"

Alice furrowed a brow then when the sky began to darken, a starless sky looming overhead. Wind began to pick up as she stood under a street light, the bulb inside flickering as one by one, each light lining the street began to go out until only hers remained aglow. She glanced up at it, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Alice…"

The voice was spoken in a soft whisper, but Alice could hear it above the wind as it blew her hair around, turning to slowly face the source of the voice shrouded in darkness. She knew that voice from anywhere, her breath hitching.

"Lizzie…" Alice breathed, about to step towards her when she gasped, the windows of all the buildings illuminating from the inside as flames burst from within.

"It matters not how many lives you save now, Alice. You failed to save mine." The voice spoke. "There is much you don't know… the pain I endured… the horror… it was always that place, that's all that mattered to you. Your Wonderland… your ridiculous subjects… a Queen of Fools is what you are!"

"Lizzie, I was a child…" Alice breathed, shutting her eyes tightly. "I've more than accounted for my sins… I only ask that you pass on as I have…"

"Pass on? Oh no, my dearest sister… I shall never pass on. For I am always a part of you… I will destroy you from the inside out, because I know you better than anyone."

Alice's expression changed as the voice did, becoming twisted with bitterness and distortion. Her eyes widened slightly as the individual began to near her, gasping as from all the windows, tentacles and flame began to burst outwards, shattering glass shards all over the street. Alice could not conjure any of her weapons, shaking her head as she began to panic.

"You are not my sister!" She shouted, gasping as a tentacle shot out from the shadows, wrapping around the lone street light, ripping it out of the ground and hurling it backwards. Cracks began to form where it was torn out, more flames bursting in the street as a result. Alice gasped as part of the ground collapsed under her feet, threatening to cave in.

"Your Wonderland shall fall… the Queen of Spades shall submit to the one true Queen. My empire shall rise, its foundation shall be built upon your downfall and despair!"

Alice fell to her knees when the ground shook again, crying out as it threatened to give way. She glanced up to see Elizabeth standing before her, lifting her face and grinning sinisterly.

"You… are not… my sister…" Alice's face darkened, gritting her teeth.

She felt hands take hold of her from behind, voices crying out to help her. She looked behind her to see thunder cracking in the sky, the white knight arriving on his horse as the steed neighed loudly, its front legs in the air. The white rabbit was trying to pull her back, Caterpillar flapping his wings and making the winds stronger. Alice glanced back that it was now the Queen of Hearts standing before her, her tentacles wrapping around Alice's feet. She gasped, her hands holding onto White Rabbit's tightly. A breath caught in her throat when she heard the sound of struggle, something leaping across the collapsing ground and taking Cheshire cat into its jaws.

The Bandersnatch.

"NO!" Alice cried, the winds becoming stronger as thunder cracked louder, rain pouring.

She glanced up to see Caterpillar battling a fearsome creature in the air, wings flapping erratically as he defended himself against the dreadful Jabberwocky. Her screaming could be barely heard above the winds, tears streaming down her face when a black horse sped past her, the Knave of Hearts battling fiercely against her White Knight, the struggle lasting for several minutes before she witnessed, to her horror, her beloved Knight fall from his horse. Her eyes slowly moved to rest on the White Rabbit as he held her hands tightly, their gaze locked for several moments before she heard an alarming sound echo through the wind and thunder. She shook her head, but could not stop its sharp claws as it swooped down from behind her, capturing the vested Rabbit in its clutches and carrying him away. She shrieked as she reached her hands out, being dragged back as she was lifted, turned to look right into the Queen's eyes.

"You shall lose them all… one by one, those still loyal to you shall succumb to my power… Queensland shall reign once more… and you shall be the one who is excised." The Queen grinned wickedly, opening her mouth wide as Alice cried out. "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"

Jack jumped a bit when Alice burst awake, breathing heavily as her hands shot to her neck. Her eyes were wide; her whole body was trembling as she slowly came to. After a few moments, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her slightly to look at him.

"Hey… it's okay." He started, the hand moving to pet her hair lightly. "It was another nightmare." He sighed lightly. "Alice, they're getting worse…"

"I think I would know that." Alice spoke finally, sighing also as she rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes for a moment. "Did I make a ruckus?"

"A little… I heard you from down there… I was meaning to check on you anyway, but… Alice, I don't understand, there's no way that Pitch can be-"

"This has nothing to do with him." Alice said, sitting up a bit straighter as she looked at him.

"Alice… you and I both saw her meet her maker; I don't think anyone could survive one of Toothless' flame blasts, it's no wonder they went after him to make Wick." Jack snickered a little. "Speaking of which… he's giving Bunny a real workout downstairs, I think it'll help you feel better."

"Yes, because that's going to fix my problems…" Alice said, heaving a sigh when Jack frowned at her. "Jack, I'm sorry… I know you're trying to help…" She leaned towards him a bit, the two resting their foreheads together. "It's just… this has been a repetitive struggle for weeks now…"

"The nightmares will go away, Alice… just give it time, they will. You're with us now, and we'll help you through it." Jack said softly, gently tilting her head up as he leaned in to kiss her. She closed her eyes, kissing him back for a minute or two before breaking it, smiling lightly at him.

"Well, I suppose that makes your words a bit more convincing." She said, enticing a chuckle from him. Their moment was interrupted when they heard shouting from downstairs, both glancing towards the ladder as Tooth floated in.

"Oh, good Alice, you're awake… Jack, I swear, I cannot deal with those goofballs down there! Bunny is going to need anger management any day now and North is focused more on keeping the workshop orderly than actually trying to correct what Wick is doing!"

Jack groaned, rubbing his face. "Alright, just give me a second to get down there, you and Sandy can take a break for a little while." He glanced over at Alice. "You up to this?"

"I suppose as much as I can be… at least he's not intentionally trying to turn us into ashes…" She said, her feet touching the floor as she went over towards the ladder.

As she and Jack descended, getting to the main level of the workshop, they both stopped when Bunny sped past them, Alice waving her hand in front of her face as smoke lingered behind him.

"Bloody hell! Oi, that's it, I'm done for! Put it out, you blokes, for the love of eggs in baskets someone put my bloody tail out!" He shouted, stumbling over himself. He burst outside, throwing himself into the snow and rolling around a bit before exhaling. He then jumped up, crying out once more. "Crickey, it's too cold!" He sped back in, marching up to Wick as he gulped. "Alright, I have had it up to HERE with you! You're nothing but a brainless-"

"Will someone kindly explain what on Earth is going on here?" Alice finally interjected, stepping forward. North burst into the room with a block of ice then.

"Bunny! I have the ice, simply sit your kiester on this and it will put the flames right out-… oh. It is done?" North raised his brows.

"Well thanks, mate, where were you about five bloody minutes ago?!" Bunny threw his hands up. "I'm trying to tell this gumby to tone it down with the fire and everything, then he decides to light my rear end on fire! Oh no, take your time, why don't you!"

"I- It was an accident… I'm still having trouble keeping my flames low grade…" Wick said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You've always had it out for me, don't deny it!" Bunny exclaimed, gesturing to his tail, now lacking adequate hair. "Look at this! Do you have any idea how long this will take to grow back? If this isn't presentable by next Easter, I'll be the laughing stock for the next half millennium!"

Jack couldn't help but snicker, Alice elbowing him lightly as she couldn't help but smirk in amusement either. He earned himself a glare from Bunny, Alice clearing her throat as she stepped forward. "Bunny, I will help your tail, it will need treatment. As for you Wick, I think you've done quite enough today, perhaps you should take a few moments to relax."

"… HE should take a few moments to relax?!" Bunny exclaimed. "He's the one causing pandemonium around here! He better NEVER come to my Warren or I'll-"

"Bunnymund, enough!" Tooth exclaimed, sighing as she rubbed her temples. "Can we all just take a break…?"

Alice ushered Bunny upstairs, still muttering to himself angrily. Wick floated over to Tooth, his head bowed. "I really didn't mean it… he made me nervous and I accidentally let off too much a flame… he was standing too close. I tried to put it out but I just kept burning things…"

Tooth sighed lightly, placing a hand on Wick's shoulder. "It's alright, Wick. After being taught to use your powers to fight and harm others, it's going to be a while before you get a handle of them. We're going to try to be as patient as possible, but you'll get it down pat someday."

Sandy poked his head out from where he had been hiding, sighing and wiping his brow with relief as he floated over, taking Tooth's hand and kissing it lightly. He patted her arm before glancing at Wick, sighing lightly and tilting his own chin up, smiling and pointing to it, as if to tell Wick to keep his hopes up. He gave him two thumbs up, earning a smile from Wick. Sandy pursed his lips a bit, forming a sand picture of candy and holding his hands out.

"Sandy, you're going to spoil your appetite, and your teeth!" She sighed when Sandy pouted. "Now you're just saying it's good practice as an excuse, I wasn't born yesterday, mister!"

"Alright…" North started as he approached them. "This has been rough start, but tomorrow will be a great day for us all to clear our heads. We will be seeing our friends and having a day of merriment, yes? This will be good for all of us, and to see how they are recovering as well."

"Yes, I miss Anna and the others… I wonder if Merida and Hiccup will be there?" Tooth inquired.

Upstairs, Alice had Bunny sitting in a small basin of water mixed with different herbs and soothing formulas, taking a cloth and dipping it in the water before squeezing the excess from it. She reached over, dabbing a couple other spots where he had been singed. He hissed lightly, Alice exhaling sharply.

"It's okay, I can handle it." He said quietly, Alice nodding in response and resuming what she was doing.

"And here I thought you were swift, Bunny… you're going to have no hair left if you can't keep up with him down there." Alice replied.

"I seriously hate that guy…" Bunny groaned, letting his head fall back for a moment. "Almost lost an ear the other day; can you believe he said he was just trying to cut one of North's ice cubes for him? I swear, he's going to slice my head clean off in my sleep."

Alice chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "Seems like I'm not the only one who has that concern… but in all seriousness, I think he just had a problem with finding his sense of stability. It's going to be a slow, but gradual process."

Bunny frowned lightly at the first part of Alice's statement. "Wait… you're not still having nightmares, are you?"

Alice sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't… and they're not lessening in their hostile nature, either."

Bunny bit his lip, placing his hand on Alice's shoulder gently. "Maybe tomorrow will help you too… it's been stressful for all of us."

"I suppose… trust me, the last few weeks have been better for me than most of my life has offered. It's just… I keep having this feeling… this lingering, tense feeling that I can't seem to rid myself of." Alice said.

"That's partly all our faults, really. We've been so focused on getting Wick up to speed to being a proper guardian; a decision I will NEVER understand… that we've been leaving you to your own devices. Believe me, I'd rather stick with you any day over that oversized gourd down there." Bunny smiled.

"I know, and I appreciate the sentiment." Alice smiled back.

Despite the pain from his burns, it seemed to dissipate with her smile; it always warmed his heart when her expression did, sighing contently as tension left his shoulders. As he found however, to his disappointment, not long after that warm feeling would envelop him, he always felt a sense of bitter sweetness wash over him. Though Alice was a guardian now, though she could stay with them always from this point onwards, there was one heartbreaking fact that would always snap him back to reality.

Her heart belonged to Jack.

It didn't help him any when she went around him, sitting behind him to massage his shoulders. He smiled sadly; she knew it always calmed him when she did that, but it did nothing to lessen the discomfort in knowing he could never completely have her. He held nothing against her now, but it was still something he had to deal with silently.

Before all of this, he never had time to even think of things like finding love, having those experiences because he was always on a schedule. Time never stopped to wait, so neither could he. Eggs needed to be painted, wicker baskets needed to be woven, preparations for the Easter season had to be made year after year to bring the renewed hopes and dreams of children to blossom with the spring. It had been a distraction for so long, but it could no longer do that service for him with Alice always around him, her presence a constant reminder of what his heart now longed for.

To be shared with another.

His train of thought was broken when Jack entered the room, the ice guardian crouching down near him.

"Hey, feeling okay?" Jack asked, an ounce of concern in his features.

"I'll be fine… I've been through worse." Bunny replied, straightening up and leaning forward a bit to gently allow his shoulders to slip away from Alice's fingers. He didn't want to make a problem between them; despite the gesture being harmless in nature, he didn't want to risk it. He was in no mood to set Jack off unintentionally. As if he could read his mind however, Jack rolled his eyes playfully.

"Bunny, it's fine, I know you like when Alice rubs your shoulders. She's still everyone's friend here, I'm not going to stop that." Jack said.

Alice smiled lightly at Jack, getting to her feet and placing the damp cloth on the rim of the basin to hang. "Well, all this activity had made me work up an appetite. Let's make something and keep Bunny company."

"Sounds good to me…" Jack smiled. "You want anything?"

"Just the usual is fine." Bunny nodded. "Thanks, mate."

Alice and Jack headed downstairs, making something to eat for themselves. Bunny sighed, resting his head on his knees as he concentrated on his thoughts once more.

"Oh… hey Alice, I'll catch up with you." Jack said suddenly. "I just realized that Eliza isn't awake yet."

"Hm… indeed, she's overslept today… I'll make her something while you fetch her." Alice smiled, continuing downstairs as Jack roamed down the hall towards the child's bedroom.

When Jack slowly opened her door, he smiled lightly as he saw her sleeping peacefully. She had adjusted well since the end of the prior turmoil, the last couple months or so bringing her much solace despite the trouble with getting Wick assimilated into his new guardian life. Thankfully, the two got along well, always enjoying some of the candy he would offer to her. Jack crouched down, gently shaking her shoulder a bit to wake her.

"Hey, sleepyhead… time for someone to get up." He said quietly.

Eliza shifted a bit, blinking her eyes as she rubbed them. She sat up, smiling sleepily. "Good morning, Jack." She yawned, stretching her arms. "One more day, right?"

"Yup. You get to see your friends again." Jack nodded.

"I miss Olaf. I miss reading stories to him." Eliza frowned a bit.

"Don't worry, after we get everything settled I can take you more often to visit them…" Jack ruffled her hair. If Pitch wasn't living with them, he would even trust to let her stay there for a few nights at a time… neither he nor Alice were willing to do that, both still quite wary of the Nightmare King.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Eliza asked.

"No, Alice is getting some ready for us. We're going to eat in Bunny's room today, he's not feeling too great…" Jack said as he helped the child out of bed.

"Oh no… did Wick burn him again?" Eliza asked.

"I'm afraid so…" Jack replied as they headed down the hallway.

"Perhaps I can kiss the burns so they can get better like last time." Eliza smiled.

Jack chuckled nervously. "I don't think you'll be kissing them this time, Eliza…"

"Why not?" The child tilted her head.

"Let's just say that his arm wasn't the thing that got singed today…" Jack replied as they entered Bunny's room.

"Hey, little ankle biter." Bunny smiled, Eliza giggling as he ruffled her hair.

"Everyone keeps making my hair untidy…" She said, fixing it.

Alice entered the room then, placing down a tray as she handed a plate to Jack, Bunny, and Eliza, keeping one for herself. "How is my little sleepy head faring this morning?" Alice asked.

"I'm okay… still a bit sleepy." Eliza replied.

"Hm…" Alice leaned over, lifting her face a bit. "You do seem a bit pale. I hope you aren't coming down with a cold…"

"Wouldn't be too hard being that she lives in the tundra." Bunny said as he wolfed down his food.

"I suppose you're right… Jack can get away with living here because of his nature, but I must speak to North about establishing my own province." Alice said.

"Well, Sandy doesn't have one… he's a drifter, that one." Bunny said.

"No kidding, Bunny." Jack rolled his eyes playfully.

"Yes, but you are forgetting something…" Alice smiled. "I have an entire world up here at my disposal. I simply need a space to fill it."

"Yeah, I'd like to meet that March Hare bloke you keep talking about." Bunny said.

"I believe you're referring to the White Rabbit." Alice chuckled.

Jack collected the plates once finished, bringing them downstairs. After doing so, he started to look through the pantry, pursing his lip a bit.

"Hey Jack, what're you looking for?" Tooth asked, fluttering over to him.

"Do you know if we have any cold medicine around here?" Jack asked. "Alice said Eliza might be getting one…"

"I don't think North has any… guardians never get sick after all, so there's no real need for it." Tooth replied.

"Darn." Jack pouted a bit. "I'll have to find some today… just in case."

Tooth smiled. "Jack… seeing you taking such good care of Eliza, you and Alice together… it really makes me happy. Having a family like that… it's a wonderful thing. Remember to always cherish that."

Jack nodded as Tooth gently pat his shoulder. As she fluttered off, he couldn't help but notice a degree of sadness in her smile, tilting his head a bit. Before he could think on it further, he heard North calling for him. He headed to his office, poking his head inside.

"You called?" Jack asked.

North gave Jack a nod, standing to his feet. "Walk with me."

As they wandered about the workshop, Jack raised a brow, glancing at North as he remained silent for a while. "So… is this your way of saying you want to get out more often or something?"

"Jack, last night, I had a dream." North started. "And in this dream, I saw the path you took to get to where you are now. I saw how you wandered the Earth, searching for a purpose, how you were chosen as a guardian, thwarted Pitch the first time… and came to accept your new role. I then saw your journey into the past, and what would have become of all of us if you had not taken leadership." He stopped, glancing at Jack and smiling.

Jack blinked in surprise at this. "You… how did you… you saw what happened in the past- the future- whenever it was?"

"Yes, I did. And I realized, though we have yet to reach the time you had come from, that what transpired will remain with all of us." North said as they resumed walking. "But Jack… despite all of the good that has come from your actions in your past, there is still risk for negative consequences."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"The last few months have been very calm, peaceful." North said. "However, we do not yet know its full effect upon the world… we have much to discover, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Well… I can definitely say that some good things happened for me… I hope to say the same for you guys… our friends… the children."

"I believe it is safe to say that it has." North smiled. "You have truly come a long way, Jack." He gently patted Jack's shoulder. "I'm going to rest for a bit, it's been a long morning..."

"Yeah, let me check how Wick is doing. I think Bunny is covered... literally." Jack chuckled lightly as he headed up the stairs. When he poked into Wick's room, he noticed the Halloween themed guardian sitting on the edge of his bed, his head resting in his hands sadly. "Hey, Wick? Everything okay?"

A low grumble was emitted. "No one likes me because I mess everything up. I'm gonna end up back in the book again."

Jack smiled lightly as he approached him. "Well, you're kind of official now... so no book for you. Looks like you're stuck with us."

"Seems like it's the other way around." Wick sighed, glancing over at Jack as he sat next to him. Over the last few months, Wick's relationship with the other guardians had come along steadily, but it had been a rocky journey. With Bunny, there was still much hostility between them. "Bunny hates my pulp."

"Well, I'll tell you from experience that it takes a little while for Bunny to warm up to people... saying a lot for me." When Wick didn't laugh at the joke, Jack nudged his shoulder a bit. "Look... there was a time I thought I was nothing but a screw up too. It takes time to really find yourself... fit in. But it'll happen. North... he's pretty smart, and he knows you mean well now."

"What's the point if I keep accidentally setting things on fire? I don't want to do that to the children..." Wick pouted.

"No... you just have to keep working at it. All this time you've used your powers destructively. You just have to reteach yourself. Figure out what works and what doesn't." Jack pursed his lips for a moment. "Hey, you can conjure stuff for s'mores, right?"

Wick perked up, nodding. "Chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers! That's easy."

"Test your powers on making s'mores. When you can make them without burning them to a crisp... then you'll know." Jack suggested.

Wick's hollow eyes widened a bit. "You really think I can do it?"

"Sure! Just keep at it, like I said. You'll get it eventually." Jack pat his shoulder before getting up. He was about to walk away when he was stopped by Wick getting up to hug him, smiling and rolling his eyes. "Alright, alright, that's enough..."

Meanwhile, Alice and Eliza had gone downstairs to play a game of chess after tending to Bunny, now resting from the activity of the morning. When Eliza took one of Alice's pawns, she chuckled lightly.

"You're definitely becoming more proficient at this game." Alice said.

"That's because I have a good teacher." Eliza smiled lightly, taking Alice's white piece to place over on her side. "But Alice, I was wondering something..."

"What is it?" Alice asked as she moved one of her pieces.

"Why aren't the pieces content with their own side? Why do they have to take over another kingdom?" Eliza asked.

"Because then there would be no game today, and that would be quite boring, wouldn't it?" Alice chuckled as it was her turn to move again. When she saw Eliza's smile fade a bit, she tilted her head. "Is something the matter?"

"Just..." Eliza started, moving one of her pieces. "I've been having these... dreams... but I don't think their dreams... they're memories, I think."

"What sort of dreams?" Alice asked, wondering if like she, Eliza was also still suffering from surrealistic nightmares each night.

"Well... it starts out with me in my bedroom... but then I hear a sound. I leave my room and everything is dark. I see... a light in the distance, and I hear voices. I follow the lights, and I see mother and father. The lights form squares... like a chessboard. Each time I get to a light, I remember something... happy. But to get to the next happy memory, I have to go through the dark... and I see something... bad."

"What do you mean, 'bad?' A bad memory?" Alice asked.

Eliza nodded. "Alice... I think life became very hard after Jack died." She frowned.

Alice stopped, her eyes widening a bit. "Eliza, exactly how many memories have you had? And for how long..?"

"I can't remember... and it's been for a few weeks now... it started with just someone calling my name... they said I must keep progressing forth to win the game." She glanced up. "It's why I was asking why the pieces aren't happy with remaining where they are..."

Alice went around to crouch a bit near Eliza, hugging her close. "It's because some individuals feel they need to take something from others... that's all that satisfies them."

Eliza hugged her back, biting her lip. "At least we're going to see Anna and Olaf tomorrow..."

Alice nodded, having a thought then. "Yes... so am I. Perhaps it will do us all some good to get some fresh air."

"... may I take a nap after our game? I still feel sleepy..." Eliza asked.

"Of course. I'll tell the others to not disturb you." Alice said.

The finished their chess game, Alice walking Eliza up to her bedroom and quietly shutting the door. She closed her eyes for a moment, concerned by her words and what resurfacing memories could be afflicting her. She honestly knew very little of Eliza's life prior to coming to Houndsditch, but she began to realize that Jack wasn't the only one who suffered subsequent to his passing in the lake. She hoped for the rest of that day to pass peacefully, and for the next day to come swiftly, a much needed break for all of them.

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 **It definitely nice to see all of these characters again! I hope this has you anticipating as to what is to come; trust me, there will be ample amounts of action, drama, twists and turns ahead! I will be updating this along with another fanfic I wrote with a friend, so be sure to check back to my page and stay tuned!**


	2. Gathering Reunions Abound

**Good evening, readers! Hope you're all having a fantastic week, and that you're ready to read more of this story! Some good news is that you'll be seeing some more of your favorite characters this chapter, so I hope you're pumped! I won't stall any longer, so please relax and enjoy!**

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Pitch quietly set down a bowl on the side table beside Elsa's bed, placing some Eucalyptus sprigs in some hot water so the vapors took to air. He glanced over at her as her form began to stir, Elsa rubbing her eyes a bit as she began to sit up. "Shh... you should slumber a bit longer. It's too early for you to be up." He said. "I apologize for disturbing you."

"No, no... I'm used to getting up early..." Elsa said softly, stretching her arms a bit.

"How are you feeling? You certainly sound much clearer already." Pitch said.

"I feel clearer... I have to make it up to you and Anna for taking such good care of me." She smiled sleepily.

"Indeed... and even more so for me, because I kept my end of our little bargain." Pitch smirked lightly, floating over to other side of her bed to sit on the edge.

"I'll have to get an official approval from Anna first before I determine whether you did or didn't." Elsa chuckled.

"Oh come now... you don't trust me? That hurts quite a bit." Pitch said, holding his heart.

Elsa rolled her eyes playfully, coughing a bit soon after. "Well... I'm not a hundred percent, but I still need to be decent enough to welcome our guests..."

"In which half of them were in combat with us just a few months ago..." Pitch sighed with annoyance.

"So this is an opportunity to make amends to them." Elsa said as she took her covers off.

"Make amends? They should be the ones making amends to us!" Pitch exclaimed.

"They weren't the ones who lied." Elsa said quietly, turning when Pitch made no response. He stared at her regretfully, and she sighed as she approached him, taking his hands. "I know you meant nothing malicious against me... I'm sorry."

"No... I'm being unreasonable. It's in my nature, I suppose." He held Elsa close from his seated position, Elsa gently petting his hair. "I'll try to at least be civil."

"Good." Elsa smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "What's the hour?"

"Barely past dawn. I was thinking of sleeping for a few hours. I just... wanted to see how you were faring." Pitch admitted.

"Alright... but some of our guests are arriving in the early afternoon, so not for too long." Elsa said, taking his hands to gently pull him towards her for them to snuggle.

Sometime later, Anna woke and readied herself for the day, helping Elsa to become decent for their guests arriving from afar. She felt well enough to host everyone, smiling when a boat arrived at port. As she went towards it, Anna stopped when she saw something approaching from the skies. "Elsa, Merida and Hiccup are here!" She beamed.

Elsa turned, smiling. "Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes." She said as Pitch joined her.

Anna and Kristoff smiled when Toothless made a landing, the dragon snorting lightly in greeting as Hiccup hopped off, extending his hand to Merida to help her down like a gentleman. They took off their masks, Hiccup shaking his head a bit as Merida ruffled her hair a bit.

"Top o' the morning to ye, your highness!" Merida beamed, strolling over. "It's great t' see ye again!" Anna was about to curtsey politely when Merida pulled her into a hug, Anna squeaking a bit as she giggled. Kristoff and Hiccup shook hands before giving each other a short hug.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said Arendelle is a beautiful place." Hiccup smiled. "Looks like a nice place to live."

"Thank you." Anna smiled, straightening her dress out a bit from Merida's hearty hug. "How was the trip?"

"Well, we'll have to get a few more snow globes to take with us on the return trip… Toothless got a bit queasy but he's handling snow globe travel better." Hiccup replied.

"We're just waiting for Elsa and Pitch to get back, she went to the docks to help some other guests that arrived." Anna said.

"Huh… that scallywag's still around, huh?" Merida asked.

"Yeah… Elsa thinks he's a keeper." Anna shrugs.

"Is that so? Gonna be a bit awkward with everyone back here, ye ken?" Merida tilted her head.

"Don't worry, my sister seems to have a pretty good handle on him." Anna smiled as she giggled lightly.

Meanwhile, Elsa and Pitch reached the docks, their guests making their descent off the ship along with several servants carrying their things. While Elsa remained poised, the young woman who emerged beamed happily, crying out the queen's name and running up to hug her. Elsa retained her balance, clearing her throat as she happily returned the hug.

"Rapunzel, it's been a long time." Elsa said.

"I haven't seen you since your coronation ceremony! Elsa, I'm so glad to see you finally happy and content." Rapunzel said. Pitch raised a brow, taking note of the young woman. He could see a slight resemblance, Elsa having made him aware of their relation prior to their arrival. A young man approached behind the two women then, Rapunzel taking a step back to hold his hand. "Elsa, this is my husband, Eugene… we've been married for almost two years already… so hard to believe!" She giggled.

Eugene smiled, nodding his head respectfully. "Pleasure to meet you, Elsa." He made a face when Rapunzel elbowed him lightly. "Sorry, sorry… QUEEN Elsa." He cleared his throat.

"A pleasure for me as well. Unfortunately we didn't formally meet the last time you were here…" Elsa sighed as she remembered that fateful night. "A lot has happened since then…" She turned, smiling and nodding her head at Pitch.

Eugene widened his eyes, opening his mouth to say something when Rapunzel closed it, leaning in to whisper. "I told you to act natural, Elsa wrote to me a month ago and said her new beau looks… different."

"I understand that, but I didn't think we were going to meet Count Dracula!" Eugene whispered back in a hiss before straightening up, smiling unnaturally as Rapunzel pinched the bridge of her nose. "Hey, nice to meet you! Welcome to the family!" Eugene said through his teeth, his voice a bit higher pitched than normal.

Rapunzel sighed, taking a step forward and curtseying. "Hello Pitch, my name is Rapunzel, I'm Elsa's cousin. I'm a princess from the kingdom of Corona. Elsa told me about you and I'm pleased to hear that she's happily courting someone."

Pitch bowed his head lightly. "I've heard of you as well, princess Rapunzel. I must admit this is a bit overwhelming, I'm not used to these family reunion type events."

"Don't worry, we're all pretty laid back…" Rapunzel glanced over at Eugene, still appearing a bit freaked out and rolling her eyes. "Please don't mind him, he's-… it takes him time to get used to new people."

"I'll try not to give him too much of a scare." Pitch chucked. "Besides, it's after the sun sets that you really need worry about me." He laughed at his joke, Elsa rolling her eyes playfully.

"Right… King of Nightmares…" Rapunzel forced a smile.

"Oh, yeah, that totally helps me right now… yup, everything is completely normal here." Eugene squeaked, his muscles getting tired from trying to maintain a smile.

"Well, let's head back to the castle, other guests have arrived by now." Elsa said, not wanting to make this scenario any more awkward as she turned to make her way back. Pitch was just behind her, smirking when Eugene watched him warily. He turned quickly, making Eugene jump as he laughed to himself.

"Oh, this will be fun…" Pitch said to himself, Elsa shooting him a look.

* * *

"Will you all stop dilly dallying and get a move on?!" Alice shouted up the stairs as she rolled her eyes.

"Crickey Alice, how am I supposed to go out like this? This is humiliating!" Bunny stormed down the stairs, pointing to his tail. Alice couldn't help but snicker lightly, trying to remain composed. "Yeah, yeah, everyone laugh at the hairless rabbit!"

"Well, it's only your rear end that's hairless…" Alice said as she tried not to burst into giggles. "There's really no hiding it Bunny, due to your aversion to clothing."

"What? It's totally constricting!" He crossed his arms.

"Just don't face your back to anyone and you'll be fine, Bunny." Jack said as he came downstairs with Eliza. The other guardians entered the room then, all ready to go to Arendelle.

"Fine, but you can sit next to mister heat miser over there." Bunny said, pointing to Wick.

Wick wasn't listening, staring at a s'more in his hands with deep concentration. When his name was called by North, he jumped a bit, sending a fire blast at it and burning it to a crisp. "Aw man!" Wick pouted.

"Come now Wick, you may practice that later!" North said as they all headed to his sleigh.

"Alright Eliza, sit between Jack and I." Alice said.

"I want to sit by the edge so I can look out." Eliza replied.

"That is out of the question." Alice responded, and Eliza whined as they all piled in.

"I wonder what Arendelle is like…" Tooth smiled, snuggling up to Sandy and holding his hand.

"Come on you two, get a room…" Bunny rolled his eyes.

North shook the reins of his sleigh then, the group taking off. Bunny held onto the rim of his end for dear life, Eliza crying out as she rose her arms in the air.

"Eliza!" Alice cried, holding her arms down a bit.

"Alice, I'm fine!" She replied as they exited through the lower level of the workshop, going through an ice tunnel before soaring into the arctic tundra outside. Wick giggled as he held onto his hat, glancing over the side to take a look at the landscape.

"Wow… hey Bunny, it's so pretty!" Wick exclaimed.

"First of all, do not talk to me; second of all, I am NOT looking down, mate." Bunny replied.

North laughed heartily, taking out a snow globe. "Alright… take us to Arendelle!" He exclaimed, shaking the snow globe and tossing it. It broke open, forming a portal which they all soared through.

Upon entering, they saw the kingdom of Arendelle in the distance, circling around it as they made their descent and made a proper landing. Bunny held his mouth for a second, trying not to lose the contents of his breakfast as everyone got out.

"Oh boy, I can't wait to see Elsa and Pitch!" Wick smiled.

"I can't wait to see Olaf either!" Eliza giggled. "Come on, let's go find them!" She said, taking his hand as the two ran ahead of the group.

"Eliza, wait for the rest of us to-" Alice started, sighing lightly when Eliza neglected to listen. "I swear, that child is becoming more and more disobedient by the day…"

Jack wrapped an arm around Alice's waist, pulling her close as they walked. "It's okay, Alice… it's the first time she's had any fun in a long time… let her have a little freedom."

"Yes, but you know how I fret over her." Alice replied.

"I know, I worry about her too… she'll be okay though, let her enjoy the day." Jack smiled.

Alice sighed. "Jack, you don't understand… yesterday, she told me that-"

"Hey, Mer!" Bunny shouted, walking up and hugging the Scottish princess to him.

Everyone greeted each other, making small talk. They were all introduced to Rapunzel and Eugene, and vice versa. Eugene was absolutely bewildered by the group he was with, glancing over at Hiccup when he was elbowed by him lightly.

"Don't worry, I felt this way the first time too. You get used to them after a while." Hiccup smiled.

Eugene smiled nervously, glancing behind Hiccup to see Toothless going around Bunny, the Easter guardian turning to try to get him to buzz off and swatting his hands, trying not to bring attention to his hairless tail. "Huh, you don't say?" He said as he chuckled lightly. "What did I get myself into…"

"So Hiccup, how are the wedding plans going?" Jack asked as he approached the Viking.

"They're coming along really well…" Hiccup's expression softened as he smiled. "Merida's parents are shocked by how excited she is over the whole thing. They're going to make her queen of Berk on the day of and her whole clan is coming."

"I'm happy for you, Hiccup." Jack smiled, patting his shoulder. Merida approached then, having overheard the last bit of their discussion.

"You and the others are going to come, right lad?" Merida smiled.

"Of course!" Jack replied. "After all, you guys deserve it after all the turmoil you had to deal with."

"Yes… by the way, no more trying to get out of anything, if I'm going to be married I want to do it right." Merida said to Hiccup.

"Uh… what do you mean?" He raised a brow.

"Get out of something?" Alice said as she approached, tilting her head.

Merida turned to Alice, pursing her lips for a moment in thought. "There's one part that I heard Hiccup was speaking to the elder yesterday about not including… I forget what it was called, a public something or other-"

Hiccup's eyes widened then, quickly covering Merida's mouth. "Oh, hey, I had no idea you-… you, are a little eavesdropper, missy!" Hiccup chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair. "A- And that's exactly WHY I talked to the elder in private, darling, because I too, want this wedding to be done right and trust me, you will thank me later for it! Because like that, certain… things, should be done in private…"

Jack raised a brow, confused as he glanced at Alice as she snickered behind her hand. Merida was also clueless, shrugging.

"Whatever you say, lad… I'm going to feast on some apple pie." Merida smiled when she smelled the pastry's lovely aroma.

When she left, Hiccup groaned, covering his face. "For the love of Thor, I cannot believe she heard that."

Alice giggled lightly, biting her lip. "Well, it seems that you will have much to teach her after the wedding is over…"

"That's the problem, Alice, isn't someone ELSE supposed to teach her about that… that stuff? Like, her mom?" Hiccup asked.

"Uh… are you guys talking about what I think you're talking about?" Jack raised a brow.

"Well Hiccup, we both know that before the whole 'bear incident,' Merida didn't listen to her dear mother much… so if she had delved into explicit details on the subject of what she would be required to perform upon being wed… well, it would seem that she missed all that."

"Yeah, I think I'll take that as a yes." Jack said flatly.

"Alice, what am I going to do? If she doesn't know anything about… THAT… then she's going to be totally freaked out on our wedding night, and the elder will put my head on a stake if we DON'T, not saying I don't want to or anything, but if she isn't ready then- ohhh I am in such big trouble…" Hiccup whined.

"Here. Why don't you sit Merida down and speak with her. As a matter of fact, Rapunzel there is a married woman, perhaps she could be of assistance." Alice said.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, let me go up to the princess of Corona; 'hey, just wondering if you can help me out here, can you explain to my fiancée all there is to know about s-'"

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but hearing my name!" Rapunzel smiled as she came over.

"You should not have thrown yourself into this, Rapunzel." Jack said, leaning against his staff.

"Why not?" Rapunzel asked, Alice leaning in to whisper to her. Rapunzel's eyes widened a bit, covering her mouth and giggling. "Oh, Merida is such a sweetheart! Don't worry Hiccup, I'll take care of everything. Eugene had to explain all of that to ME on our wedding night… boy, were my eyes opened! Among other things…" She chuckled nervously, tucking a strand of brunette hair behind her ear as she made her way over to Merida.

"Well, I did not expect to come here today to have the most awkward conversation of my life." Hiccup threw his hand up.

Meanwhile, Elsa giggled lightly as Wick chattered his head off, happy to see him again. Eliza and Olaf ran past them, the two giggling as they did so. She glanced over to notice Jack wandering over to the snack table to grab a bite while Alice walked over to speak to Anna. She politely excused herself, telling Wick that he could say hello to Pitch. She made her way over to Jack, clearing her throat as she approached.

"Oh, hey Elsa…" Jack started. "How've you been?"

"Very well, thank you." Elsa replied, giving him a polite nod. "Yourself?"

"Not bad. I think I can say for both of us, that it's good to have our families back." Jack said.

"Yes it is." Elsa smiled lightly. "I was wondering if I could speak to you in private for a moment, Jack."

He blinked in surprise, glancing around. "Me? Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all… there's just something I would like to ask you." Elsa replied.

Jack gave a nod, the two heading inside the castle and entering the art gallery. They sat down on one of the benches, Elsa folding her hands in her lap.

"So… what did you need to ask me? Is Pitch giving you a hard time?" Jack smirked.

"N- No, no, he's wonderful… well, you know what I mean." Elsa replied. "But no… though it concerns him, it's something that I hope you can help me with."

"Yeah, I guess I can try… what is it you need help with?" Jack asked.

Elsa sighed lightly, twiddling her fingers a bit. "Well… regardless of how either of us had intended it… Pitch and I of course… he kept his promise to me in reuniting my sister and I. He helped me to get my life back, my family back… so… I want to do the same for him."

Jack raised a brow. "You really love him, huh?"

Elsa glanced over at him shyly. "I know you both have your differences… but he's right for me, Jack… and I think I'm right for him."

"Well, just the fact that he's around all of us and not trying to destroy us all… it definitely convinces me." Jack said as he leaned back against the wall. "But I don't know how you would be able to return the favor as far as family goes… unless you um… you know… start off new?" Jack shrugged.

Elsa looked over at him flatly. "Jack, that's not appropriate conversation."

"Sorry, just saying…" Jack cleared his throat.

"Anyhow…" Elsa continued. "… what I want to ask you is… what you know of Pitch's daughter."

Jack blinked for a moment, shaking his head. "I- I'm sorry… I must be a bit lost, can you run that by me again?"

Elsa sighed with a bit of frustration. "Jack, I know you heard me perfectly well. What do you know of her? Is she alive? Do you know where she is?"

Jack shook his head. "Elsa… I know close to nothing about Pitch, I-… he has a daughter?!"

"Well, that answers that question. This was a waste of time." Elsa sighed, getting up to leave.

"W- Wait, hang on a second!" Jack stopped her. "When… how do you know this? Like, when did he tell you?"

Elsa turned, beginning to believe Jack was being serious. "Have you noticed the locket he's been wearing?"

"I think I may have seen it, I… can't be sure. What about it?" Jack asked.

"That locket… was the last thing he gave to his daughter before he left to answer a distress call. He was once a valiant and honorable general. But the distress call was a trick. While he was gone, his enemies stormed into his palace and his wife was killed. For many years, he thought his daughter had also suffered but she had survived. All those years she thought she had been abandoned. There is much resentment between them." Elsa bowed her head sadly. "Just like I abandoned my own sister… thankfully for me, she was more forgiving. I… I would be so happy to see Pitch reunited with her as I was with Anna."

Jack was at a loss of words for several moments, shaking his head. "I don't believe this… I… I had no idea he even had a wife… a kid… do the other guardians know?"

"I have no idea, Jack… I wanted to ask you because I didn't feel comfortable enough to ask the others, asking you was… hard enough as it is." Elsa replied.

Jack nodded. "Well… I obviously don't know anything… so I'll tell you this." He held a hand up. "I'll talk to Bunny. He and I are buddies, so if he knows anything he'll tell me."

Elsa smiled lightly. "I would greatly appreciate that, Jack. Thank you."

Meanwhile, Pitch was wondering why on Earth Elsa had left him out here alone with all these people; how she could even fathom doing such a thing was beyond him. His eyes darted silently, hoping to finally spot her. As he searched desperately for her, he noticed Sven trot up to North's reindeer, the proud creatures standing tall and poised. When Sven tilted his head, smiling in a silly manner at them, North's reindeer looked at him quizzically, snorting lightly. They stiffened a bit when Toothless approached, Sven glancing back and grunting happily upon seeing his friend. Toothless smiled, wiggling a bit and chirping. North's reindeer remained alert in the large creature's presence, Rudolph's nose in particular glowing brightly. Toothless stared at it with interest, leaning forward a bit. The reindeer scooted back a bit, Toothless emitting a guttural laugh as he pranced around, throwing his head back to shoot a fireball into the sky. North's reindeer cried out in surprise, North noticing the activity finally and laughing heartily as he calmed them. Between that, Rapunzel and Merida talking and giggling, Eugene and Hiccup both whining to themselves and pacing around, and Wick having joined Olaf and Eliza in their merriment while Sandy and Tooth tried to get a corner to themselves, he was almost relieved when Alice approached him, thankfully finding something to at least distract him from the general atmosphere.

"You look positively thrilled at the moment..." Alice commented as she approached.

"Oh, so you noticed." Pitch replied. "Tell me, have you seen Elsa anywhere? I'd like to make a grand escape to wherever she's gone off to."

"Well I'm afraid I don't know that, but I may have a solution to your dilemma anyhow. You're the King of Nightmares, so I believe it would be appropriate to seek your aid for my own dilemma I've been having." Alice said.

Pitch raised a brow, genuinely interested as to why someone who desired to have his head at the end of her vorpal blade just a few short months back was now seeking his help. "Oh? What might this dilemma be?"

"Over the course of the last several weeks, I've been having these repetitive dreams... well, nightmares rather, as they are less than pleasant in nature. I'm beginning to believe that they may hold some significance to them... despite its main source being presumed dead in reality." Alice replied.

Pitch pursed a lip, pondering for a moment. "Well, I'll certainly have to take a closer look... but we'll make no progress out here with all these noises and distractions. Shall we go inside?"

"Yes." Alice replied, Pitch leading the way as Alice followed. He glanced back over his shoulder every once and again, her silence somewhat intimidating to him, knowing how fierce and unstable she could be. He also knew that her mind contained a vast horizon of tangible creatures and landscapes, and he was quite curious to find what exactly could be causing the Wonderland creator concern. They entered the drawing room, Alice taking a seat as Pitch pulled up a chair to sit in front of her.

"If you'll allow me..." Pitch muttered quietly, Alice giving him a nod and closing her eyes as Pitch extended his hands, resting them on either side of her head. He squinted his eyes a bit, focusing on delving deep into the recesses of her mind to extract the nightmare in question. When he was able to grasp an image of it, he concentrated, trying to see clearer into it. He saw flashes from the sequence, seeing Alice's sister, whispering voices, the battle between her allies from Wonderland and their enemies battling fiercely as storms raged. He then saw through Alice's perspective as she was dragged back, the chaotic whispering erupting into chaotic screaming and wailing as she was turned to face the Queen herself, now in place of Elizabeth, as she was about to become devoured. Pitch retracted his hands a bit, jolting lightly as he cleared his throat. Alice's eyes opened upon the broken connection, exhaling sharply.

"Tell me." She began. "Does she still linger?"

Pitch took a moment, thinking deeply as he stared at his hands. He could hear the Queen's laughter echo in his mind, distant and subtle, but clearly present. "She was once a very significant portion of your psyche, Alice. The fact that she has been extracted from your mind... I suppose it is attempting to adjust to that... on top of what you endured with her months ago."

"But why now?" Alice asked. "Why so suddenly? Is it not some sort of omen? A sign?"

"It's certainly telling me you are still enduring some sort of struggle. I will need some time to determine if it's truly a threat to you or not." Pitch said.

"I suppose this will have to do then." Alice replied, glancing up at him. "I appreciate this."

"Well... all the better to establish some form of acquaintanceship between us. I would rather not have to worry about someone cutting my throat in my slumber." Pitch said.

Alice smirked lightly. "Oh, you must be mistaken; the King of Nightmares never sleeps, does he?" She got up, giving him a nod before heading out of the room.

Pitch remained seated, his expression becoming one of suspicion when Alice walked out. He was not pleased by the nightmare in the slightest, exhaling slowly as he quietly reflected upon it.

Anna took Elsa's hand once she and Jack came back outside, wanting her to try some of the pastries Rapunzel had brought with them. Jack glanced behind him when he saw Alice walk out of the palace, linking an arm with him.

"Hey, everything okay?" He asked.

"Yes, everything is fine." Alice replied simply, scanning the area. "Where is Eliza?"

"Oh, probably off with Olaf and Wick somewhere..." Jack replied.

"What do you mean- have you not been supervising them?" Alice asked.

"Alice, I already told you to relax... nothing bad is going to happen to her." Jack said as he gently rubbed her back, but this did nothing to console her. She wordlessly left his side, calling out for the young girl as she did so. Jack sighed, only distracted by the sound of a crunch beside him. He turned to see Merida walk up to him with an apple in her hand.

"What's got her kilt in a ruffle?" Merida asked.

Jack sighed. "I have no idea... she's just been so tense, especially with Eliza..."

"Is she having trouble with the new guardian post?" Merida asked.

"No, she's doing fine... that's what I don't understand. Everything is fine, I mean, Wick is still a bit out of sorts but it's nothing to panic about..." Jack shook his head. "I just don't get it."

Merida took another bite of her apple. "Try having a heart to heart with her, lad." She smiled. "Sometimes I have to have those with Hiccup, works like a charm, ye ken?"

"I guess so..." Jack replied.

Meanwhile, Eliza giggled as she pulled in a rowboat by the docks. She climbed inside, helping in Olaf as he tripped a bit, stumbling into the boat. Wick placed his scythe inside, holding it as he hopped in the water, his pumpkin like a flotation device as the top half of him remained above the water. Eliza took the scythe in her hand.

"I'm going to be the captain, and I have to lead us to the treasure. Olaf, you're my first mate, and Wick, you're going to push the boat where I tell you, okay?" Eliza said. They both nodded, Eliza pointing the scythe in a random direction for Wick to push around the boat. They enjoyed playing their pretend game for some time until Alice reached the docks, less than pleased by the scene.

"Eliza Bennett!" Alice shouted. "Return here at once this instant!"

Eliza turned to look towards the sound of her voice. "Alice, we're playing pirate ship!" She cried.

"I told you not to wander from the courtyard, now come back here before you injure yourself!" Alice shouted.

"Can't we play for a few more minutes?" Eliza whined.

"Eliza, you've got until the count of three!" Alice said.

"Please Alice, I'm not a toddler anymore, I'm too old to be treated like a baby!" Eliza pouted. Her distraction from concentrating on balancing the boat made her gasp lightly as the rowboat began to sway. As Wick's scythe clattered down into the boat, she cried out in surprise when the boat toppled over, sending her and Olaf into the water.

"Eliza!" Alice cried as Wick waded over to grab them. He floated back to the dock, Alice helping them both up. Eliza was soaking wet from head to toe, Alice keeping a firm hold on her arm. "You are going straight to your chambers, young lady!"

"Alice, you're embarrassing me!" Eliza whined as she was dragged through the courtyard and into the palace. She hugged herself when they stopped in their guest room, Alice taking out a change of clothing and some linens. She helped Eliza dry off, tying her hair up as she changed into a night dress.

"Now you will stay in here until supper time." Alice told her.

"I never get to have any fun…" Eliza said as she crossed her arms.

"Eliza, all I want is for you to be safe, and you make that more and more difficult for me to do each day!" Alice replied, clearly frustrated. "You know how I love you dearly, Eliza... I hate to be this way but you must learn to listen to me. You know I concern myself with your best interests."

"When am I going to be able to do what I want to do, Alice? I'm tired of being cooped up or kept in one setting all the time." Eliza whined lightly.

"When you are old enough to fend for yourself as I am. Now you are to stay here until supper, I don't want to see a single toe outside of this door." Alice said, collecting Eliza's wet clothing to take with her.

Eliza glared after her, plopping down on her bed. "You're not nice anymore, Alice."

Alice had her hand on the doorknob, hesitating for a moment as she felt a pang in her heart. She exhaled sharply, opening the door and closing it slowly behind her. She quickly wiped a tear from her eye, composing herself before continuing on her way.

* * *

 **Aww... well, seems like some of our heroes are already placing far too much pressure on themselves! As for Pitch, he knows more than he's letting on; does this spell trouble for the group? Find out more in the next chapter! Thank you for reading and please stay tuned for more updates!**


	3. Familiarity Breeding Contempt

**Hello again, readers! Last we left off, our heroes were dealing with some familial drama... that will continue in this chapter, among other things that will be revealed. It's going to be some time before we have any intense action, so it will just be a lot of dialogue and casual conversation between characters. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

That evening, everyone gathered in the dining hall, Elsa sitting at one end with Pitch on one side, Anna at her other. Everyone had taken their own seats from there, Eliza giggling lightly as she sat with Wick. Jack glanced over, noticing how quiet Alice was.

"Hey, what's the matter?" He asked.

"I haven't much of an appetite." Alice replied.

"You look really pale, Alice... maybe you should go lie down." Anna said, sitting on the other side of Alice.

"I'll be alright, thank you." She said, taking a small bite of her she glanced up, she nearly had a panic attack when Eliza went to sneak sip from Hiccup's goblet. "Eliza!"

The young girl jumped in surprise, the room quieting a bit when she accidentally spilled its contents- red wine- all over her white day dress. She froze in place, shocked. Hiccup took his napkin, trying to clean the table and around Eliza. The girl looked over at Alice angrily.

"This is all your fault!" The girl cried.

Alice hesitated for a moment, slowly getting up from her seat to try and help her. "Eliza, let me help you tidy up-"

"No!" Eliza shouted, slapping Alice's hand away. "I was supposed to have a fun day and you ruined everything!" She pushed her chair in before storming off, leaving Alice in a silent but heartbroken state.

"Eliza come on, don't be like that-" Jack started, sighing when Eliza ran out of the dining hall. "I'll go talk to her." He said briefly to Alice before leaving the room. Alice grabbed a napkin, silently helping Hiccup clean the area; she felt if she focused on something it would help keep her composed.

Anna gently placed a hand on Alice's shoulder when she sat back down. "Hey, don't take it so hard... sometimes kids just go through rebellious stages like this... I did when I was her age." She smiled lightly.

"I don't want her to loathe me... I love that child like a sister." Alice replied.

"I know... don't worry, she'll come around. Part of growing up is learning to appreciate the people who love you." Anna said. "I know I appreciate Elsa."

"Yes... it still hurts, I suppose... seeing her upset... resenting me." Alice sighed.

"Eliza? Eliza!" Jack called for Eliza as he searched through the corridors. He finally found her when he came up to her bedroom door, hearing her shuffling around inside.

When Jack lightly knocked on the door, Eliza bit her lip. "Leave me alone!" She cried.

"Eliza, come on... please let me in?" Jack asked.

After a few moments, the door opened a crack, Eliza glancing up at him. "You're going to scold me, aren't you?" She asked.

"No... I just want to talk." Jack smiled lightly.

Eliza nodded, opening the door and letting him inside. She was in her night dress, her day dress soaking in a wash bin filled with soapy water. "I don't feel well." She said, holding her stomach.

"Maybe you should finish your dinner." Jack suggested.

Eliza shook her head. "Jack, ever since Alice became a guardian, she's changed." She said sadly.

Jack sighed lightly, hugging Eliza lightly. "You know, before I became a guardian, I was pretty irresponsible. I did whatever I wanted to do and didn't care what other people thought. But when I became a guardian, I realized I had a job to do. You mean more to Alice and I than anything, Eliza. After what happened a few months ago... I think Alice is just worried that something will happen to you. All she wants to do is protect you."

Eliza thought on his words, twiddling her fingers a bit. "I wonder if Elizabeth was like that."

"Elizabeth? Alice's sister?" Jack asked.

Eliza nodded. "Maybe she wants to be like her, and I'm kind of like Alice now when she was younger."

"Maybe... if that's the case, you both have to be nice to each other." Jack said.

"I was rotten earlier, wasn't I?" Eliza asked, beginning to feel badly about her prior behavior.

"Why don't you just take a break in here and cool off... when Alice comes by later, you two can talk things out." Jack said.

Eliza nodded, taking a porcelain doll into her hands that she brought with her to hug to her chest. "Okay."

After dinner was finished, everyone either settled into their rooms or found something to do throughout the palace. Alice was about to go to her bedroom when Tooth fluttered over to her.

"Aren't you going to say goodnight to Eliza?" When Alice looked at her as if she were about to cry, she frowned lightly. "Alice... she doesn't hate you. She's just... going through a rebellious stage, I guess. Now that she's more comfortable, found her voice..."

"I've already lost one sister in my life, Tooth." Alice said. "I'm afraid I'm losing another."

"You won't lose her. We're all here to support both of you." Tooth said, placing a hand on Alice's shoulder. "When we have a chance, we'll start helping you make Wonderland a reality so you can take her to live with you. And Jack, I'm sure."

Alice smiled lightly at that. "Yes... there is a special place I have in mind for him... a little place called Tundraful. Cold enough for him to call home and make what he wishes of it." She sighed then. "I suppose I can try to see if she'll be civil... at the sake of my overly sensitive feelings lately. I fear she's making me quite soft."

Tooth giggled a bit. "It's something children have done to all of us. It takes a lot of love to care for a child, and we take care of all the world's children."

Alice nodded, looking towards the guest room where Eliza was. "Thank you, Tooth." She said, saying a brief goodnight before heading down the corridor.

Jack sat inside his and Alice's guest room, Elsa's words from earlier playing back in his mind. He pursed his lip in thought, wondering if what she said was true. He couldn't figure out why Elsa would lie to him at this point; unless of course, Pitch had in turn lied to her. Even so, he couldn't make sense of that scenario, either. He took some time to reflect as he waited for her to return.

Meanwhile, Elsa was settling in herself, still a bit worn down from the tail end of her cold. She had politely excused herself from everyone, Anna more than happy to take her place as host. As she did, she glanced over quickly when she noticed Pitch suddenly appear, drawing the bed curtains around them to settle in himself.

"Did I surprise you?" He asked lowly.

Elsa cleared her throat lightly. "You're a bit too quiet sometimes..." She said.

Pitch draped an arm around her shoulders, gently drawing her close. "It's in my nature." He smiled lightly. "How are you faring?"

"I'm feeling alright... just a bit tired." She said, resting her head against his shoulder as his fingers gently played with her braid.

"So... I was curious to know something." Pitch said after a few moments of content silence. "What exactly were you discussing with Jack Frost, earlier?" He asked, glancing down at her as he raised a brow.

Elsa glanced up at him, blinking as she scrambled for an answer. "W- Well... I wanted his opinion... o- on something..." Elsa stuttered.

"Opinion on what?" Pitch asked, taking one of her hands in his, kissing it lightly.

Elsa gulped a bit, his actions not helping her nerves any. "It was... I was wondering if... if he knew something..."

"And what might that something be...?" Pitch asked, placing kisses on her wrist as he traveled along her arm.

"S- Something..." Elsa bit her lip as Pitch's lips now grazed along her shoulder. "Something to... make you happy." She squeaked out.

Pitch gently rested his head against the side of hers, Elsa crossing her eyes to glance over at him. "I have all the happiness I need right here... so questioning him on that subject is unnecessary." He stated. "Besides... Jack Frost is my former adversary... curious as to why you would ask him of all people such a question." He tsk'd her, waving his finger at her lightly. "Someone is behaving suspiciously."

Elsa sighed lightly. "Pitch... you know I would never do anything malicious behind your back."

"Oh, I know that, darling... but you did do something behind my back." His expression became serious then. "I'd like to know what it is. I wouldn't mind so much if it didn't involve Jack Frost. We may be civil now, but I still harbor a certain degree of bitterness for him."

Elsa furrowed her brows, rubbing her arms a bit. "I was trying to... to keep this a surprise, at least for a little while... but I should know by now I can't keep anything from you." She glanced up at him as he raised a brow at her. "I asked Jack if he knows anything about... about your daughter."

Pitch was honestly shocked by this, straightening up a bit and furrowing a brow. "My daughter?" He questioned after a few moments. "You would ask Jack Frost, of all those you could ask, about MY daughter?" He asked a bit louder, getting a bit on edge.

Elsa nodded nervously. "I- I didn't feel comfortable asking any of the other guardians, I just wanted to know if they-"

"If there is anything you need to know of her, you will ask ME. You shall not seek them out concerning her, do you understand?" He said threateningly. When he sensed a spike of fear in Elsa, he instantly calmed, actually feeling a bit badly as he sighed. "I apologize. I didn't mean to alarm you. She... she is still very precious to me. She may not believe that, even now... but her hatred towards me... it has caused me to retain much pain in my heart."

When she relaxed a bit, she resumed resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry... it's just... what you did for my family... I want to try to help bring you together with yours."

Pitch certainly regretted his prior outburst against Elsa now, exhaling slowly as he drew her into a gentle hug. "I should have known you had good intentions. I suppose I'm the one who has making up to do now." He said as he lightly pet her hair once more.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Elsa glanced up, smirking lightly and earning one in return.

It took barely a moment for the remaining space to close between them, any tension dissipating between them as they shared a passionate kiss.

After Alice had returned from Eliza's room, appearing quite relieved and content, Jack waited for her to go to sleep, smiling lightly as he leaned down to sneak a kiss on her forehead before silently sneaking out of the bedroom. He quietly closed the door behind him, tip toeing down the corridor.

Bunny was fast asleep, his ear twitching a bit and he kicked his foot lightly under the covers. "Ohh yeah... scratch in the back left side right below the rib..." He muttered in his sleep, not aware of someone entering the room until Jack poked him lightly with his staff.

"Bunny. Psst, Bunny...!" Jack whispered, groaning lightly when he didn't wake. He then smirked mischievously, carefully reaching over to tickle some of Bunny's hair on the bridge of his nose. The sensation caused Bunny's hand to fly to his face, Jack yanking his own hand back just in time. He snickered when Bunny woke himself, wiggling his nose and hissing lightly.

"The bloody- Jack, you buzzard! You know what time it is you bloke?" Bunny shouted, Jack shushing him.

"Be quiet, you idiot!" Jack hissed in a whisper. "Look, I'm sorry, I need to ask you something."

"No, you don't look bloody fat in the formal attire, princess, now buzz off and let me get some sleep!" Bunny exclaimed a bit quieter.

"Will you stop playing around for one second and listen to me?" Jack said with a sigh. "Besides, I don't need YOU to tell ME that I look good, thanks very much."

"Whatever, just say what you need to and get on with it." Bunny said in annoyance.

"Okay. I need to just clarify something..." He shifted his weight a bit. "... does Pitch have a daughter?"

At Jack's posed question, Bunny's eyes popped open as he flew up into an upright position. Jack was a bit startled by this, stumbling back a bit. "How-... where in the hell did you get that information, mate?"

"Not from you! So it IS true!" Jack exclaimed.

Bunny waved his hands in a panic. "Okay, mate, you're the one who needs to pipe down. You are going to tell me where you got this from, right now-"

"What does it matter who I got it from? Look, as heartless as Pitch has been in the past, the guy at least deserves to be with his family, everyone does!" Jack hissed in a whisper.

"Look... there is a LOT you don't know about their situation, which is why none of us told you. It's too complicated, Jack. Too... volatile." Bunny said as he shook his head.

"Can you at least tell me about her? The daughter?" Jack asked.

"Jack, I'm telling you, this is not something you want to get involved with, whatever this is." Bunny said.

"So you're telling me that you know something about where she is and you're keeping them separated on purpose?" Jack frowned.

"It's not like that... Jack, it's too late to get into this now-"

"I'm not leaving, until you tell me about her." Jack said with a serious expression.

Bunny let his head fall forward, groaning lightly with frustration. "Will you get off my back if I do?"

"Yes, then you can catch up on your beauty sleep... you kinda need it." Jack smirked.

"You are so lucky I'm tired mate, or I'd sock you one." Bunny grumbled. "Alright... where to start...? Her name is Emily... Emily Jane. She's almost as ancient as Pitch is... she's his only kid. Real tragic what happened to them, but the damage can't be undone."

"What do you mean? She's still alive, isn't she?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, she is... it was his wife who bit the dust. Their palace was raided, there was no way she could hold her own. It all really changed Pitch... until the whole prison incident... that really sent him over the edge, made him the cold hearted bloke he is now." Bunny said.

"... Prison incident?" Jack raised a brow.

Bunny scratched behind his ear a bit. "See, ten years after she was separated from Pitch... she was trapped inside of a star. That's when she met Sandy. At one point, she-"

"Wait, Sandy? Our Sandy?" Jack asked.

"There's only one Sandy, you bloody moron, of course our Sandy! And by the way, he will skin me if he knows I'm telling you all this..." Bunny sighed.

"I won't tell anyone what I know. Just tell me more about Emily." Jack said.

"Well, after she made a wish to see Pitch again while in the star, Dream Pirates caught wind and devised a nasty trick. They evoked his greatest fear... and when he opened the door of the prison, they overwhelmed his form with darkness. He was never the same... and Emily... there really is no word to describe her." Bunny said.

Jack stared at Bunny in silence for a few moments. "So... you're telling me... that Pitch was... Bunny, him being the way he is was never his fault... all this time we've been fighting him when we- he needs help!"

"Jack-!" Bunny grabbed his shoulders, getting his full attention. "We are NOT doing anything. Just leave Pitch the way he is, he's with Elsa, he's out of our hair, Emily is where she's been for centuries, SHE is out of our hair."

Jack blinked in shock, shaking his head. "I don't believe you, Bunny... no one deserves to lose their family like that... especially if Pitch was once... he was good once... haven't you ever thought that maybe if he had Emily in his life he could be good again?"

"I know where your heart is, mate... I wish we could do something for them too... but sometimes, we just can't be with the ones we love. Bringing them together... it would do more harm than help. You don't know anything about Emily Jane. She's not one you want to tamper with. Besides, she doesn't want to have anything to do with us. Only one she even tolerates is Sandy." He sighed. "Now will you just go to bed, please?"

Jack sighed also, nodding in response. He would back off for now, but he wasn't going to give this up, not by a long shot. He muttered a good night, shuffling back to his and Alice's guestroom as he flopped on his back. He felt Alice shift a bit towards him, her long fingers hugging him close.

"Alright, what's happened?" She whispered. Jack glanced over, explaining everything to her. She blinked a bit, shocked herself that Pitch once had a family. "Curious... I wonder what the reason they're reluctant to have them meet is... even now that Pitch has changed his affiliation... to a degree."

"I don't know, and I don't care what Bunny says... I won't rat him out, but I'm going to ask Sandy tomorrow." He glanced over at Alice. "Everything went okay with Eliza?"

Alice nodded, smiling contently. "Yes, thankfully... my heart doesn't feel so heavy now."

"I told you she would come around... I'm sure she'll forget all the anger by morning." Jack reassured.

The two of them soon fell asleep, the whole palace finally silent and tranquil as the moon shone through the tall glass windows lined neatly across every corridor. Little did anyone know that this silence would soon be broken when Eliza's door opened slowly, the young girl breathing heavily as she walked out of the room stiffly. Trapped in a surrealistic nightmare, she quietly traveled the halls through the night, none aware of this as she returned to her bedroom before morning.

* * *

The next morning, only a few were awake, most choosing to sleep a bit later. Elsa was certainly a morning riser, feeling much better and wanting to occupy herself with something after being cooped up for a few days. She went and did her morning rounds, checking up on everything in the palace to make sure things were running smoothly, and to alert the kitchen staff to start preparing food for when everyone else woke up. On her way back, she slowed to a stop as she approached her mother and father's covered portrait. She stood tall before it for a moment, looking at their faces behind the translucent black curtain. She closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly.

"I hope that someday you can look upon me with pride... with happiness." She started. "I'm doing what I can to make amends for my past mistakes. Anna is safe here, and happy... I know you will bless her with it in abundance... I can only hope and ask humbly that you can do so for my life. I can never make up all those years of happiness I took from yours. I hope... that I can finally live up to your standards."

Elsa glanced behind her when she felt a hand lightly squeeze her shoulder, Pitch staring ahead at the portrait. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, my dear." She smiled lightly at his statement. "And I believe they would agree. The presence of loved ones is always a blessing; their absence, a curse... I can say you've been a blessing in my life... and I'm grateful that I am in yours."

Elsa turned, her arms lightly hugging around Pitch's waist as he returned the embrace. Their peaceful moment was broken when they heard a shriek from somewhere in the castle, making them both snap into alertness. Pitch focused in concentration for a moment, taking Elsa's hand.

"Do you know who that was?" Elsa asked as he led her up the winding stairs to the corridor where all the guest rooms were.

"I do... as to why, I'm not sure as of yet." He replied, stopping at a door and opening it. Elsa hurried inside, approaching a very distraught Eliza as she sobbed.

"M- Miss Elsa..." Eliza cried as she sat up in bed. Elsa crouched down by her, placing a gentle hand on her arm and trying to get her to calmly explain what was wrong. Pitch observed quietly, narrowing his eyes a bit as he sensed something was amiss. Before he could focus further, Alice and Jack appearing in the doorway distracted him, Alice making no hesitation to go on the other side of the bed to crouch down by Eliza. The young girl had finished whispering something to Elsa, the queen clearing her throat as she looked towards Pitch and Jack.

"Alice and I will handle this... if you please, we'd like the room to ourselves." Elsa said.

"But- Eliza, is she okay-?" Jack started, but Pitch turned to look at him, shaking his head.

"She'll be alright. Might I have a word with you, Jack?" Pitch asked as he ushered the ice guardian away from the door, shutting it lightly.

Once in the drawing room, Jack paced around a bit as Pitch sat down calmly. "Pitch, what's going on with my sister?" He asked.

"I believe her current source of distress would be better explained to you by Alice... you'll understand why later." He said. "But there is however, another matter regarding your sister... and Alice as well, that causes some concern. I'd rather this remain between us."

Jack stopped, surprised by Pitch's words. Former enemies, speaking as acquaintances would. Deep down, he was truly impressed by Pitch's progress over the last few months, supposing that this was thanks to Elsa's presence in his life. He slowly sat down, resting his hands on his knees. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"There may indeed be... you see, while you were speaking to Elsa yesterday..." He noticed the change in Jack's expression, raising a brow. "... what? You think I don't know all that addresses her?"

"N- No, I mean... I hope you're not, you know... angry or anything." Jack said.

"Jack, I believe you know me well enough now to know when I'm cross." Pitch said. "Anyhow... yesterday, Alice sought out my council on a matter which has been causing her worry. Certain... nightmares... not my doing of course, but she asked me to look into it. In both a literal and figurative sense."

"Wait..." Jack widened his eyes a bit. "... she... told you about her nightmares? She hasn't even told..." His voice faded, shaking his head.

"Yes. I witnessed a number of disturbing things. A series of conflicts... all of which should be internal... but I don't believe it is, or will be." Pitch answered.

"What kind of conflicts?" Jack asked. "Is it from all that fighting from a while back?" He asked.

"Not quite." Pitch replied. "You do remember the origin of Alice's greatest nemesis, don't you?"

"Who? Bumby?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"No... even greater than that, even." Pitch said.

"... the Queen? Her nightmares involve the Queen? But they're both dead." Jack said.

"I have a feeling you may only be half right about that, Jack." Pitch said. "Her origin was from Alice's mind herself. She knew all there was to know because her connection with Alice, even after becoming part of the tangible world, was very strong. Like two opposing forces, one thing always connected them until that balance was broken. Alice proved victor over her, and the Queen was left in shambles."

"What was that thing you say always connected them?" Jack asked.

"The presence of a sisterly figure. You see... Elizabeth was what Alice drew her strength, happiness and creativity from; and most importantly, love. When that was taken from her, it left her with guilt, resentment, sorrow. The Queen grew in power. She did not want Alice to overcome all of that, but she did with the help of her closest allies. Alice's companions... those that have translated into the tangible world." Pitch said.

"So... what do the nightmares mean, Pitch?" Jack asked.

"It means... that the Queen is in fact, still alive. Alice's connection with her is still stronger than even she realizes... and the Queen will rise up again and attempt to shift the balance of power back into her favor." Pitch answered.

Jack nearly flew out of his chair in a panic. "Then we have to stop her!" He exclaimed.

"Will you calm down?" Pitch asked. "When the time comes... we can properly monitor her and get an exact report of her condition and what sort of threat she poses. As of right now, she is her only ally. She cannot fight us all alone. She certainly could not overwhelm you even with my help, so even if her intentions are to mean us harm, it is unlikely she shall succeed in doing so."

"Pitch... when you've fallen to the bottom of the bottom, the only other way to go is up." Jack said. "Even if what you say is true... should we really take a risk?"

"Panicking and making a big fuss over this will do no one any good. Besides, I told you this remains between you and I." Pitch made clear.

Jack grunted in frustration, letting his head fall back. He stopped for a few moments before turning around to face him. "Pitch... I have to ask you something. Back when I was ousted for Easter being ruined... and I confronted you in the tundra... you said that you finally someone who understood your... longing for a family." Jack started. "For a long time I thought it was just some cover. But... I think I believe you now... that what you said was true. So... is there any way that I can help Elsa to-"

"No." Pitch cut him off. "Neither you nor Elsa understand the full capacity of our history... or that of my daughter herself." He looked up at him. "Though your intentions are admirable, Jack Frost... it would be a wasted effort."

"S- So you never want to see her again? Emily is alive out there somewhere and-"

"Jack..." Pitch cut him off again. "I implied earlier I had no anger towards you. However, if you say my daughter's name again, that will change."

Jack got the point, sighing in defeat and nodding. "Okay, I... I'm sorry."

"Her affairs are not your business to involve yourself with." He said, leaning back in his seat. "Now... as for your sister, I sense something is off with her as well. Her nightmares are not as easily distinguishable, more abstract and erratic. But I sense it is being afflicted from a source beyond herself."

"Wait... SHE'S having nightmares? The Queen's not affecting her too, is she?" Jack panicked once more.

"I don't know enough to determine if there is a correlation between Alice's and Eliza's nightmares... I am making you aware simply to have to pay careful attention to both." Pitch said.

"You didn't tell Alice about the Queen when you saw her nightmares?" Jack asked.

"No… I do not want Alice to know of this yet; she has the tendency, like yourself, to make rash decisions." He rose from his seat. "I think our conversation has passed enough time... your sister is probably in decent condition by now." He was about to walk out of the room, when Jack stopped him.

"Look, Pitch... I... I am sorry for misjudging you in the past. If I had known about..." He sighed. "I just wish that you had been as lucky as I was when I found Eliza. And... I owe you thanks for looking out for them. Maybe I wouldn't have hated you so much."

Pitch gave him a light smile, nodding. "Your heart is in the right place Jack, there's no denying that. You were smarter than I was in that regard. There are those who would say you deserve your happiness, just as there are those who would say I don't." He said before continuing along his way.

* * *

 **Well, it seems Pitch is still quite protective over Emily... but more importantly, is his nonchalant attitude towards the Queen warranted, or is he making a grave mistake? Find out more in the next chapter, so stay tuned!**


	4. Opposition Finally Emerging

**Good evening, readers! When we last left off, we were still seeing some drama among our characters, and that will definitely continue here; are you ready to see how it all unfolds? Read on, and enjoy!**

* * *

Jack headed down to Eliza's room, passing by a maid carrying a laundry basket. He noticed through a quick glance that it was filled with bed linens and Eliza's nightgown. Upon entering her bedroom quietly, he noticed she was now wearing a new, pink nightgown, Elsa sitting on the edge of her bed as Alice cleaned her hands in the bathroom.

"I'll send a servant up with some breakfast and some medicine to help with the discomfort." Elsa smiled.

"Thank you, miss Elsa." Eliza smiled. She looked to Jack as he entered, Elsa rising to give him a small nod.

"Don't worry, she's alright now." She said.

"I appreciate your help, Elsa." Alice said as she walked up to them, smiling lightly. Jack concurred lightly, but frowned a bit when he noticed Alice seemed exhausted, circles under her eyes.

Elsa politely excused herself, Jack going over to sit by Eliza. "Hey, kiddo… how are you feeling? You okay?"

Eliza nodded. "Better…" She said quietly. "Alice said I'm not going to die."

"Well that's good…" Jack said, glancing over at Alice for a moment before hugging Eliza gently. "Just remember that she and I are going to take good care of you, okay? We won't let anything happen to you."

"Okay." She said, looking up at him as he leaned back a bit.

"Alice and I are going to get something to eat, okay? We'll come check on you in a little while, just get some rest." Jack said, gently taking Alice's hand and leading her out of the bedroom. He left her door open a crack, but rather than head downstairs, he pulled her over to the side to talk. "Alice, what happened?"

"Well… Eliza's… she…" Alice huffed, shaking her head as she leaned in to whisper to Jack. He grimaced a bit, curling his lip.

"Ouch… no wonder she was scared. I guess she'll be okay now that she knows that it's normal." Jack said.

"It also explains why she's been so worn down and irritable lately." Alice said.

Jack sighed. "Alice… there's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" Alice asked, rubbing her face.

"You think I don't see it, but I do. Your nightmares are wearing YOU down." Jack said.

"I'll be fine." Alice replied. "Come, let's get a spot to eat." She was about to turn around when Jack held her arm steady, Alice sighing with frustration.

"Alice, why can't you just talk to me about it? You go to Pitch and tell him but not me?" Jack asked.

Alice gritted her teeth. "… I told him not to say anything to you-"

"I love you." Jack started. "And it kills me that… that you can't trust me with something like this." Jack let go of her arm, shaking his head as he was now about to turn away.

"It isn't that, Jack. Don't you know by now that I trust you with my life?" Alice said.

"Then why can't you just tell me what these nightmares are about?" He asked.

"Because you are burdened enough. I don't want to cause you more stress than what you're already under." She replied.

"Supporting and helping you get through something traumatic is not a burden, Alice." Jack said, turning back to take her hands in his. "Whatever it is… you can tell me."

Alice bit her lip, resolving to simply hug Jack to her. She closed her eyes a bit, exhaling slowly. "I'm afraid… that she will take all my loved ones from me."

"… who…?" Jack asked. Before Alice could answer, he suddenly heard shouting from down the hallway.

"Look, I'm sorry Sandy, but I can't do this anymore! Everyone else may be able to get over their histories with him easily but I can't, okay? I just can't!" Tooth cried, fluttering into her and Sandy's guest bedroom and slamming the door. Sandy could be seen heaving a sigh, letting his head hang outside her door.

Jack and Alice glanced at each other, slowly approaching the dream guardian as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, someone's been trifled with this morning..." Alice said.

"Wanna talk about it?" Jack asked.

Sandy exhaled sharply, pointing to the door where Tooth was, before forming a sand picture of Pitch over his head and giving it a thumbs down.

"So she still has a great aversion for Pitch?" Alice asked, and Sandy responded with a nod.

Jack pursed his lip. "I can see her not wanting to be buddy buddies with him, I don't plan on doing that either... he's been a jerk in the past, but I think he's really trying to-"

Sandy waved his hands, shaking his head, pointing to the door as he heard Tooth approaching it from inside. She opened it, taking a deep breath as she wiped her eyes. She noticed Jack and Alice standing near the door, sighing with embarrassment. "I- I'm sorry for my outburst..." She started. She appeared a bit stressed, Jack approaching her as she took Sandy's hand.

Alice hooked her arm around Jack's, and he gasped a bit when he heard her voice in his mind.

'Jack, let them work things out among themselves.'

Before Jack could say anything, she dragged him along to head downstairs. At the bottom, he pulled her over to the side. "H- How did you do that?! How long have you-"

"Since I became a guardian, I believe..." Alice replied. "You're the first I've... tried it on."

"Oh... thanks, I guess..." Jack chuckled. "But Alice... Tooth's been kind of distant since we got here, and this is probably why. Shouldn't we do something about it?"

"I told you already, let them handle it." Alice replied.

As they headed to the dining hall, Jack looked at Alice suspiciously. "Wait... do you... know something?"

"Not quite." She replied.

"What does that mean?" Jack asked.

"It means I have an inkling from what I can see, but I'm not going to pry. All I know is that she has a strong dislike for Pitch, and it stems far beyond either of us." Alice said.

"Man..." Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel like even though I'm a guardian and I've been around for a few hundred years, I'm still so new to the game..."

"I have a feeling that a few hundred years may seem like a long time to us, but for the guardians and Pitch, it's not very long at all. Besides, being around for a long while doesn't mean you still have much to learn. We both do, Jack. There is still so much left uncovered, so much to be discovered." Alice said.

They entered the dining hall then, Bunny already there, he and Merida wolfing their food down as Eugene stared on with pure bewilderment and Rapunzel giggled behind her hand. Elsa and Pitch had already eaten, and Anna and Kristoff had not even woken up yet. Jack and Alice sat down, both thanking the servant politely when they were served.

"Hey Bunny, where's North?" Jack asked.

"Oh, um-" Bunny held up a finger, swallowing a mouthful of waffles. "He's out by the stables. Elsa helped cool them off a bit earlier, they aren't too used to the warmer weather."

"Hiccup's out helping him; he just came back from getting some fresh air with Toothless." Merida chimed in. "Believe me, the lad needs it… he's been running around like a madman back in Berk for weeks now." She said as she drank from her goblet.

Out in the stables, Hiccup was helping North tend to his reindeer while Sven and Toothless frolicked and pranced about in the background. North pat Dasher gently, glancing over as Hiccup seemed uneasy about something. "Everything alright, Hiccup?" He asked.

"Yeah..." He replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Just a little nervous about all this wedding stuff. I mean, I'm really happy Merida is excited, I don't think either one of us expected that... but I just don't want to disappoint her."

"Long ago, when I married my dear Jessica... I didn't have very much, for I was an orphan who was raised in a small toy shop. I was not wealthy, not very brass at the time... I called upon the woodland animals and we were wed there. It was not lavish or extravagant, but she was happy. She was happy..." He smiled sadly. "That's all that matters, Hiccup. I know you're working very hard on the arrangements, but if you are both happy, there is no worrying. The love is there... I can feel it in my gut." He nodded, chuckling lightly as Hiccup smiled lightly.

"I guess that's true... she has been telling me to take it down a notch... I was just so afraid to mess up that I got too engrossed in all the little details." Hiccup said.

Some of the others soon came out towards the stables, having finished up their breakfast; Alice and Jack, Bunny, Merida, Rapunzel and Eugene. Pitch and Elsa decided to stay inside, Elsa having some things to do, and Pitch not quite comfortable enough to spend time with the others without her. Alice looked around, nodding to herself.

"I must admit, this place is certainly worth boasting about." She said. "Perhaps we can all take a turn around the market place later, I would like to see what it has to offer."

"Oh that reminds me... I brought a few things from Corona, I have some things that you may like, Alice." Rapunzel smiled.

"Is that so? I very much appreciate that, unfortunately I was only able to bring some pastries I made with Eliza…" Alice said.

"Anna told me all about you, Alice… and the guardians also. I really do hope you can visit there someday, I'd love to have you." Rapunzel said.

"Just as long as you don't bring any anthropomorphic, or… otherworldly animal species… or super human whatever…" Eugene said.

"Says the guy who was healed by magical hair…" Rapunzel smirked.

Eugene heaved a sigh. "Yeah well, I freaked out over that, so you don't think I'm going to freak out over-"

Just then, the door behind them burst open, Pitch appearing in the doorway, and he seemed less than pleased about something. "North, is this YOUR oversized rodent?"

"Hey hey hey! Watch what you say around me, you bloke!" Bunny exclaimed and crossed his arms.

Just then, Phil shoved past Pitch, speaking in his Yeti language. Taking Eugene off guard, he whirled around, screaming loudly. Phil then screamed back in a high pitched tone. The two went back and forth, Rapunzel staring between the two of them flatly before putting a hand n her husband's mouth.

"Honestly, for someone who was a rogue warrior, you are scared of EVERYTHING!" She exclaimed.

"Well, I'm supposing he isn't used to this sort of company, am I right lad?" Merida laughed, walking over to pat Phil's arm. "Phil! Long time no see!"

He gave her a small wave before approaching North, speaking to him in gibberish and waving his hands around. North's expression became very serious, furrowing his brows deeply.

"What is it, North?" Jack asked.

The Christmas guardian was silent for a few moments, before placing his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Gather the other guardians, we will have to return another time." He said before turning, walking over to the stables to get the reindeer ready.

"W- Wait a minute, what's going on here?" Bunny asked. "I deserve a vacation, we are not going to-"

"There has been a security breach at the workshop. We must waste no time!" North said.

At this, Alice's breath hitched, slowly turning back to look towards the door, her eyes widening when she saw Pitch avert his gaze. Without hesitation, she whirled around, approaching Hiccup. "Eliza is asleep upstairs, third door on the left from the stairs. You watch over her and keep her safe, understand?"

Hiccup nodded, Merida approaching them. "Don't worry, the little lass will be safe."

When North got the sleigh ready, all of the guardians gathered outside and were caught up to speed. Tooth exhaled deeply, sitting next to Sandy in the back.

"I'm just happy we're getting away from..." She sighed lightly.

"Can't we bring Elsa with us?" Wick pouted.

"Will you all stop complaining for one moment!" Alice snapped, feeling very tense. "We're not going back because someone left their bloomers at home, there has been a threat laid upon us, do any of you know what that means?!"

"Alice, okay, just... calm down, everything is going to be okay." Jack tried to console her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. They all set off, quickly making their way back to the workshop. Upon arrival, the elves and Yeti made way for them, Phil hopping out of the sleigh and explaining everything. North nodded, understanding and turning to the others.

"Is everyone alright?" Tooth asked.

"Yes. According to Phil, no one was harmed and nothing was damaged. Also, almost everything is intact and left the way it was." North said.

"Yay! Can we go back to Arendelle now?" Wick beamed.

"So if everything checks out, what the bloody hell is the big deal that we had to come all the way back here for?" Bunny threw his hands up.

"Use those big ears of yours and listen!" North exclaimed. "I said ALMOST everything. Come. All of you, come!"

They all followed North and Phil, the Yeti pointing inside one of the storage rooms. Upon entering, North immediately spotted something; or rather, a lack of something. "There. One of my boxes is missing." He said, approaching one corner of the room.

"What was in the box, North?" Jack asked.

"... snow globes. Whomever entered here took the box and must have left." North turned to Phil. "Everything has been searched? And there was no obvious source of entry? Hm... very suspicious." He turned to the guardians. "Wick, Tooth. You both stay here with me. I need someone with the ability to fight and I need someone with quick eyes and movement to help me remain vigilant here."

"And what of the rest of us?" Alice asked.

"Remain in Arendelle. Stay with Eliza, you will all be safer there." North said. "We must figure out who did this and what their motive is."

Alice gave a firm nod, glancing over at Jack for a moment.

"I'll bring us back so I can let the others know." Bunny said before sighing, rolling his eyes. "Bloody hell you two, will you get a room?"

Sandy broke his kiss with Tooth to shoot Bunny a look, before turning back to give her one last kiss.

"I love you, Sandy… don't worry, I'll be fine here." Tooth smiled, lightly petting his hair.

As they all made their way through the rabbit hole, Alice narrowed her eyes as she glanced over at Jack.

'We have much to discuss when we return to Arendelle.' She said to him mentally, making Jack blink in surprise and look over at her.

"... It's going to take me some time to get used to that..." He said.

* * *

Lurking beneath the surface in a dark, dank chasm, barely any light made its way into the hollow space as the only sounds that could be heard was that of slithering, only broken by the sound of something being tossed nonchalantly and the sound of its clattering echoing throughout the cavern walls. In the low light, it was revealed to be a wooden box, its lid landing next to it moments later. Something emerged from the shadows then, large hands concealing something away in them. The creature seemed to climb up the wall effortlessly, finding a small nook to place the items into. It then took one into its hand, touching back down onto one of the cavern platform's cold, hard surface to look upon the transparent sphere. A pair of red and green swirled eyes, like envy and rage battling for dominance, bore down upon it, a wide, sharp tooth grin extending in temporary satisfaction, at the very least.

"Yes... this shall assist me greatly." The creature said to herself. "After all these months of exhausting myself, attempting to find everything there is to know... I have finally concluded what I must do. I have rested long enough. I must rebuild my queendom..." She held up the object, revealed to be a snow globe, looking deeply into its spherical form. "I require certain... prospective roles to be filled which I had garnered in the past in order to restore my empire. All enemies of my enemy, all my loyal allies!" She clenched her fist. "I must find them in this world since I have been ousted from the world I came from... the world I intend to destroy." She hissed, seeming to speak to the object as if it were another person. "Only then shall I have the means necessary to arise once more. Luckily, I am prepared for such a situation..." The Queen produced a single hair, one left somewhere in the cavern by none other than Elsa. "In a single thread, a single fragment left behind, I can find all that I need. If there are any who oppose her, reveal them to me." She narrowed her eyes, tilting her head when she looked upon a handsome young man carrying out some grueling chores. "Hm... now why would someone with such an air about him be performing such laborious tasks...?" She pondered aloud. She closed her eyes as her hand closed around the hair in its palm, concentrating deeply. She saw into the memories concerning the young man as if through Elsa's eyes... him standing next to Anna asking to be wed, speaking to Elsa in the prison cell, seeing him in the middle of a blizzard telling her that her sister was dead. She raised a brow, smirking lightly. "Ah... I love a man who seems to be a gentleman but truly has an ulterior motive... and I know exactly which role would suit him best."

The Queen nodded to herself, shaking the snow globe and casting it. When a portal formed, she entered into it, intending to begin her recruiting in that moment. When she arrived at her destination, she narrowed her eyes as she hid away in a corner, retracting her tentacles under and up into her dress. Her eyes scanned the area until she spotted whom she was looking for, smirking lightly. Making sure no one was around, she stepped into the light, making her way over to a young man who seemed to be unloading bales of hay off of a cart, carrying them into stables. He grunted as he placed another down, turning to take another when he stopped, noticing the Queen approaching him. furrowing a brow, he glanced around as he became slightly alarmed.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" He asked.

"There is no need to fear me, young man." She held one of her large hands up, and he took a step back in response.

"What are you? Where do you come from?" He asked.

"Calm yourself dear boy, all your questions shall be answered so long as you give me opportunity." The Queen replied. "You may call me the Queen of Hearts, it is the name granted upon myself. I used a method of travel beyond your ability, but you shall come to know it in time. I am a creature knows the workings of the heart and flesh, I can manipulate the heart and I have become more proficient in doing the same with the mind. I come from a land not a part of this tangible world, fabricated by my greatest foe whom I seek to destroy." She tilted her head, smirking as she found herself intrigued by the young man. "I have answered your questions, now it is your turn to answer mine. What is your name?"

He cleared his throat, not believing any of this could be happening... a part of him was quite unsettled by the randomness of the situation and the Queen's form. "My name is Hans... I am a prince of this land."

"Certainly doesn't seem like it... from the looks of it." The Queen replied. "However, I can change that. I know very little of you Hans, but I do know that we share a common enemy. I know we are in our current ill conditions because of this common enemy. I am here... to offer my assistance to you in exchange with yours for mine."

Hans narrowed his eyes warily. "Why should I trust you? What do you know of me, how do you know this of me...?"

"Give me your hand... I shall prove my ability to you. Go on, extend it." The Queen said.

A part of Hans wondered if he should call for assistance, if he was in any true danger. Another part of him was becoming fascinated by this creature; he sensed that she was an ambitious creature, a quality he also retained. He decided to be bold, extending his hand slowly. The Queen smirked, taking it. She quickly left a small puncture mark in his hand when she bit it, it happened so fast, like a flash of lightening, that Hans gasped, reeling back as the Queen was already looking into his thoughts and memories. Hans was about to cry out when the Queen opened her eyes, her pupils shrinking.

"You are the thirteenth child and the last in line for your throne. This province is called the Southern Isles, and you recently failed in your attempt to usurp the Queen of a neighboring kingdom... Arendelle." She said, and Hans was shocked when she told him all of this.

"How... how did you-"

"I can see everything in a single drop of blood... a single strand of hair..." She held up the pale blonde strand, smirking lightly.

"Does that... belong to Queen Elsa?" Hans asked quietly.

"You're quite smart, Hans... you are correct. I know that she was the one thing standing in your way to taking what you want. In several ways I can say so for myself as well." She took a step forward, raising a brow. "Now you seem to know how to fight... not a savage warrior but certainly a worthy opponent in battle. However, that won't be enough if you want to gain revenge."

"Revenge?" Hans asked.

"But of course... you don't have to play innocent with me, dear boy... I know that your heart holds many shadows. Those shadows are what your true self lurks in." The Queen took something into her hand, extending it and opening it to reveal a heart shaped tart.

"What is this?" Hans asked.

"With this, the shadows in your heart shall be illuminated. It shall be the fuel necessary to ignite the wrath within you. I see a great passion within you. Consume this, and allow it to bring your passions to fruition." The Queen said.

Hans stood up a bit straighter, taking a step closer. "If I were to help you... say if this was true... what would you give me for my assistance?"

The Queen shrugged. "Why, I would give you Arendelle, of course. Your own kingdom of your very own to rule."

Hans nodded a bit, raising his brows. "That is an extraordinary offer..." He nodded towards the tart. "All I have to do is eat that? How do I know it isn't poisoned?"

The Queen smirked. "How do you know you won't spend the rest of your days performing arduous, meaningless chores if you don't?"

Hans was still wondering where on Earth the Queen even came from; she was quite ominous and mysterious, and why she chose him to assist her was not yet entirely clear. He took the tart out of her hands, not hesitating to take a bite. He ate it in a matter of about a minute, licking his fingers. At first, nothing happened. Suddenly, when he noticed the Queen straighten up a bit, he felt a sudden onset of warmth envelop him, originating from his stomach. He felt the warmth spread outwards, feeling it all the way to his toes, his fingers, the top of his head. He looked down at his hands, gasping when he saw the one holding the pitch fork starting to steam a bit. The smell of burning wood hit him, and he realized then that the handle where he was holding it was burning. He watched in awe, his eyes widening as flames erupted from within the palm of his hand, but he felt no pain. Soon, the pitch fork was burned, casting the charred tool aside. He stared at his hands before looking upon the Queen in amazement as she nodded to herself.

"Now you have the means to properly assist me." She said, taking a snow globe into her hand, producing a small feather in the other as she twirled her fingers. "These orbs were not the only thing I took when I entered the workshop..." She said to herself before turning to Hans. "There is someone else I must seek out. I shall explain along the way. He shall be of great use to us in our efforts to destroying Elsa."

Hans nodded silently, still shocked and a bit overwhelmed by everything. A part of him wondered if this was some crazy dream, that the summer heat was causing him to hallucinate. When the Queen cast the snow globe, he followed her wordlessly through the portal hoping to seek some more sensible answers.

* * *

In the throne room, Alice had just finished telling Elsa, Anna and Pitch what had happened at the workshop.

"Well, at least I'm not the one causing North to run around like a senile psychopath this time..." Pitch rolled his eyes.

"No, you're not..." Alice said, raising her eyes to look up at him. "... but I have a strong, suspecting feeling that you DO know who is behind this."

Everyone's attention fell upon the two of them, some confused. "How would he know this?" Elsa asked.

"What did you discuss with Jack yesterday?" Alice asked, ignoring Elsa's question. "While I was attending to Eliza?"

Jack bit his lip, glancing over at Alice for a second before looking at Pitch. "What was said between us concerns only the two of us, so discussing that subject is not necessary." Pitch said.

"Really?" Alice put a hand on her hip, approaching him. "So it doesn't concern myself or Eliza in any fashion? Or anyone here, rather? And if anything happens to any of us as a result of your negligence, are you prepared to take responsibility for it?"

"I'm sorry, can you please explain to me why you think you can just come into my palace and accuse MY hus-" Elsa stopped herself, and everyone, including Pitch, looked at her with an ounce of shock. She cleared her throat, shaking her head. "... Alice, explain yourself."

"Very well. During Anna's after party, I requested Pitch to look into some nightmares I had been experiencing to determine if they were some sort of... of omen, or a vision. He told me not to be concerned. Yesterday, he spoke with Jack for quite some time... my intuition tells me it concerns the same subject. And now we have this mysterious entity that decided to take something from North's workshop; no one can figure out how they entered, who it was, or what their motive is. So, your highness, I'm sure you can now see my reasoning behind my suspicions." Alice said.

Pitch felt put on the spot, his spine tensing a bit. "Perhaps we can discuss any concerns you have in the drawing room-"

"We already did that. No more secrets." Alice said. "You are going to tell me now what you know of the Queen's condition."

Anna gasped lightly. "You don't mean that one who nearly killed Hiccup, do you?"

"The very same." Alice answered without looking at her. "I believe you know how unpleasant it is to make an enemy of me, Pitch... so I advise you speak the truth, starting now."

Pitch sighed, glancing around the room for a moment before nodding. "Yes. Yes, the Queen is still alive."

* * *

 **Dun dun duuuun! Oh Pitch, you're not going to hide anything from Alice for too long, you should know that by now! Well, I will leave you all here for now, please review and tell me what you think everyone's reactions will be like! More to be revealed in future chapters, so stay tuned and thanks again for reading!**


	5. Initiating Necessary Discussions

**Hello readers! Back after the hiatus from the website being down, here to provide you with a new chapter! Things are going to start getting a bit more interesting now, so try not to get too excited! Please enjoy as always, and be sure to leave a nice little review with your thoughts!**

* * *

Everyone stood in shock, Elsa widening her eyes and turning Pitch to face her. "H- How do you know she's alive?"

"When I saw Alice's visions... I knew then. She has kept herself well concealed, but her connection with Alice is still strong; I'm not sure if she is even still aware of it." Pitch replied.

"You knew about this and failed to tell anyone?" Elsa asked, shaking her head. "You know what she's done to me in the past, how could you keep something like this a secret?!"

"Elsa, I didn't believe that she could be a threat... you know I wouldn't allow anyone to harm you." Pitch said, taking her hands.

As they quarreled, Bunny and Sandy exchanged uneasy glances, Bunny knowing firsthand what kind of a force the Queen was.

"You had better decide where your loyalties lie, Pitch. And very, very quickly." Alice said.

"What do you- you aren't implying that I'm still her accomplice?!" Pitch choked a bit.

"Your behavior is stating otherwise, so I would place a great effort in improving upon that." Alice replied before slowly looking over at Jack, glaring at him. He opened his mouth to say something when she shoved past him, storming out of the room.

Jack frowned deeply, glancing back at Bunny who gave him a nod to go. He hurried out of the room, glancing up and down the corridor and wandering a bit in an attempt to find her. He ended up going up to the next floor where some of the bedrooms were, hearing voices coming from one of them. He peered in to see Alice sitting beside Eliza, the child complaining of a stomachache. Alice looked towards the door, Jack taking a step back in surprise as her eyes burned into his. She got up, going into the bathroom to rummage around a bit. She took some clothes and medicine, bringing it back into the room to place by Eliza.

"Alice... look, I'm sorry I-"

"I'm currently occupied with something." Alice cut him off, giving Eliza some medicine before handing her the clothing. "You may wash up in the lavatory and change." The girl nodded, slowly getting out of bed and going into the bathroom. Alice remained where she was after Eliza closed the door, Jack slowly sitting down beside her. He reached for her hand, gasping lightly when Alice yanked it away from him.

'For the majority of my life I have been lied to and deceived by the people I have placed my greatest trust in, and here I am experiencing this phenomenon yet again!'

Jack hissed, holding his head when he heard Alice's voice screaming. He held his hands up defensively. "Okay, can I just... explain what-"

'No, what happened was you kept very significant information from me!' She shouted again in his mind.

"Alice... I wanted to tell you, I told Pitch I wanted to go out there and see for ourselves what she may be doing, where she is... he told me not to say anything!" Jack exclaimed.

"So you listen to him then?" Alice said aloud this time, leaning forward a bit. "Jack, I know I've kept secrets from you before... and I still regret it. However, I did so because I thought I was protecting someone. Who were you protecting by retaining this fact from me? Or rather, who are you helping Pitch to protect?"

"Come on, you really think that Pitch is trying to cover something up?" Jack asked.

"I have no idea. Even Elsa was ignorant to this, which was quite evident." She sighs. "All I know is that Eliza cannot go back to the workshop."

"Wait, what? But if she isn't going to stay there, then who's going to take care of her?" Jack asked. "You're going to keep her here with Pitch, who you just said in the same breath you don't trust?"

"Where else can she go, Jack? Where, where can we take her? She must stay here in Arendelle. There are more people here, it's a more densely populated area that the tundra. More eyes to see." Alice replied.

"Alice, she's not used to this place, I don't want her to be uncomfortable..." Jack said.

"So you would rather place her life at risk, then?" Alice shouted.

As Alice and Jack bickered, Eliza peeked through a crack in the bathroom door, frowning as she lingered there. The arguing stopped when she began to sniffle, Alice hearing her as she went over to open the door the rest of the way. "Alice, it's like my nightmares... I could see them fighting because of me..." Eliza began to cry.

Alice sighed lightly, running a hand through her hair as she knelt down, hugging her close. "I'm sorry, love." She said quietly, petting Eliza's hair. "We're just both concerned for you, is all."

"That's what my mother and father would say to me when they fought..." Eliza said. "I remember it now... I have dreams about it each night. And then they sent me away to England, they sent me to the doctor."

"You will never be harmed by him again." Alice assured. "Jack and I love you. Now get some rest, you look exhausted. I'll come fetch you in a little while." She walked her over to bed, glancing once at Jack before walking out of the room, towards her guest bedroom. Jack followed her, and Alice was about to leave the room when he held her hands as gently as possible. "Jack, I don't want to see you right now."

"Alice, I'm sorry. Pitch said he didn't want you to know because he didn't want you to panic, and I just agreed with him because you've been so stressed lately." Jack sighed.

"And now I am even more so, not just because the very thing I feared has come to fruition, but because you kept it from me. What if she came after us? What if she came after Eliza? Do you have any idea the devastation I would feel, do you have any idea how frightened I am to lose all the people I love? I can't go through this again Jack!" Her voice cracked as she held the sides of her head, and it was her turn to cry now as Jack hugged her close to him. "I'm trying so hard to be strong... for her... but when will my past cease its haunting of me?"

"Look... we got Bumby, Alice... and if the Queen tries anything, we'll get her too." Jack said. He lifted her face, smiling a lightly. "Just remember you've got a whole group of expert warriors on your side... including yours truly." He smirked a bit.

Alice stared at him longingly for a few moments, when suddenly, she took his face into her hands to kiss him with much need. Taken aback quite a bit, Jack barely kept up for the first minute or so as she coiled her arms around his shoulders. She finally broke the kiss, staring into his eyes.

"You promise not to keep anymore secrets from me?" Alice asked. Jack could not speak, only nodding his head as he stared at her. "Excellent… I think we can both agree I need this release…" She leaned back in to kiss him, sighing into it. Jack was utterly confused as to how and why Alice suddenly made this drastic switch, but by the moon he was not going to question it.

Meanwhile, Pitch and Elsa stood alone in the drawing room, Elsa looking out the window. "Alright, Pitch... you made me come clean to you, now it's your turn." She said before turning to face him. "Tell me what you know and how."

Pitch exhaled slowly. "Very well. Yesterday, during the party, and I believe while you were speaking to Jack... Alice came to me, requesting I assist her with some nightmares she had been experiencing."

"What did you see?" Elsa asked.

"I saw a great struggle. Initially, I thought it was Alice continuing to struggle internally with lingering guilt. But I then realized that it was pointing to something else that lingers... or rather, someone." Pitch said.

"The Queen of Hearts... you saw her in Alice's nightmares?" Elsa frowned as she hugged herself lightly. "... so... is she really alive?" She closed her eyes for a moment as Pitch nodded. "How is this possible?"

"I'm not entirely sure of that, or her current whereabouts and what state she's in. All I know is that she and Alice still have a very strong connection." Pitch said.

"So can't Alice find out those things?" Elsa asked.

"Possibly... but if the Queen were able to know that Alice was seeing into her mind, it may make things worse for us." Pitch answered.

"So what do we do about this?" Elsa asked.

"The same thing I told Jack: to not panic or jump to conclusions." Pitch responded.

"Give me one reason why I should not be concerned about this, Pitch." Elsa took a step closer. "I am her enemy now, so if she is out there, she's going to-"

"-do absolutely nothing to instigate us. Think about it Elsa, all of her prior allies no longer stand by her. Bumby is dead- good riddance to him- Wick is a guardian, and you and I have formed a civil relationship with the remaining guardians. She has no resources outside of those she can conjure herself, no gathering, no connections. She isn't in Wonderland anymore where she can turn the simple-minded folk there to do her bidding. She is in the world outside of Alice's mind. Even if she did find someone to fight alongside her, I have great doubt they would be a match for all of us." Pitch tried to assure her.

Elsa stared at him with a serious expression for a few moments. "Would you bet my life upon that?"

"What do you mean?" Pitch asked. "I wouldn't bet your life upon anything."

"Would you bet my life that everything you just said is guaranteed? That there is no chance of a different outcome? That is a yes or no question, Pitch." Elsa stated.

Pitch's expression softened as Elsa's became more serious, approaching her as he took her face into his hands gently. "No." He answered. "I would bet your life upon nothing." He sighed, his hands moving to take hers into them. "If you feel I should look into this... then I shall do so to ease your worry."

Elsa nodded, allowing her hands to be enveloped in Pitch's. "If she were to come after me, I would not be the only one in danger... my sister, my home, my people... and you would be in danger."

"I suppose I hadn't thought of that..." Pitch bowed his head a bit. "I may need Alice's assistance for this task."

"Yes... I don't want you going off after her alone, anyhow." Elsa replied.

"Indeed... I'm honored that you fret over me." He smirked then. "By the way... what was that little thing you slipped up earlier...? I do wonder what it implied..."

Elsa furrowed a brow, tilting her head. "What are you-" She realized what he was referring to then, gasping lightly as she blushed. "W- Well, I... it was an accident, I didn't mean to embarrass you-"

Pitch chuckled lightly. "Embarrass me? You could never do that... I was- am, rather... quite flattered."

Elsa sighed lightly, smiling to herself. "I'm sure you know now that I've thought about it... I always thought marriage was a silly thing, something that Anna would enjoy more than I, but... I'm starting to change my mind. I think I'm becoming more receptive to the idea."

"I believe I am as well." Pitch smiled lightly, drawing Elsa closer to pet her hair. "And as soon as we get all of this fretting out of the way... when you're ready... it's certainly something I'd like to progress." Elsa nodded in response as he held her close.

* * *

The Queen slowly opened her eyes, exhaling slowly as she nodded. "Yes... I see what I need..." She glanced over at Hans then as he looked around.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"We are just outside the Altai Mountains... where I shall hopefully find the next individual I am seeking out." The Queen replied.

"So these... guardians... have allied themselves with Arendelle?" Hans asked.

"Indeed. They shall prove to be a formidable force, so we need to prepare ourselves for that if we are to overtake it... among other locations." The Queen made her way into the mountain, Hans following close behind. They ventured deep into them, reaching a portion where bones lay, the skulls present... not quite human. They eventually reached what looked like an abandoned camp; huts and other primal structures lingered, having fallen into ruin long ago. The Queen approached a large stone then, Mongolian written upon it as she surveyed the area. She knelt down, taking some of the rocky soil into her hand and sniffing it. "He is here." She said lowly. Before Hans could ask yet another question, the Queen opened her hand, revealing the small feather. She turned it into ashes, sprinkling it upon the grave. She took a step back as the sky began to darken, narrowing her eyes. "I have made my offering... arise from your resting place... arise so you may fulfill that which remains appointed to you!"

Hans gasped lightly in cautious fascination as winds picked up, the Queen not flinching for a moment as the sky filled with the cries of a thousand souls in a chaotic chorus. The earth beneath them trembled, a deep crack appearing where the grave was, breaking the headstone into two pieces. When the phenomenon ceased, a hand, renewed with the vigor in his soul, emerged from within the ground to climb upon it. When he stood, he approached the Queen, walking through the snow covered ground as he extended his hand. The ashes from the feather swirled around it, reforming into the feather as he snatched it out of the air. He reopened his hand, the feather sitting in its palm as he inspected it. He glanced up at the Queen, standing taller. The creature looked like something between a man and a primate, donning armor and a spear.

"Kherev ta ööriin takhild zoriulan khariud ni minii yuu khüsch baina ve?" He asked in Mongolian.

"I seek assistance in destroying my enemies... and in exchange, I shall help to ensure your vengeance... giving you opportunity to destroy the source of the feather you hold in your hand." The Queen replied. "For she, and the other guardians, are also my enemies."

Hans watched between the two of them silently, trying to understand what was going on. He glanced up at the Queen. "Who is this?" He asked her.

"This is the Monkey King." The Queen replied. "I saw him in connection to the feather he holds... as well as through the snow globe. He sought out before his untimely death to end the life of one of the guardians... unsuccessfully of course. He shall be joining our cause..." She said as the ground began to tremble a bit once more, Hans looking around as he discovered that the abandoned camp was no longer so, more creatures coming out from under the snow. "I have revived him and his army to assist us."

The Monkey King bent down on one knee before the Queen, head bowed. "Namaig sergej neg üüreg güitsetgene." His monkey army followed suit, chanting the same phrase once as they all knelt down. The Queen smirked lightly, holding her head high in a triumphant manner.

"Now... we must seek refuge for ourselves and this magnificent army... once there, I shall fully explain our purpose and my intentions for all of you." The Queen said, taking a snow globe into her hand and narrowing her eyes. "Show me." She hissed at it, shaking it until another mountain, this one concaved, came into view; it rested just beyond the perimeter of a vast forest. "Ah... now this is quite intriguing... we shall take up residence there before I continue my search. Come! Gather closer so you may enter the portal more swiftly." She said before casting the snow globe, entering the portal once it opened up.

* * *

Anna rolled her eyes as Kristoff and Sven acted like goofballs in the courtyard, threatening to make a mess of things. She looked towards the door, wondering if Elsa was coming out to scold them. She was met with the sight of Alice instead, smiling lightly as the young woman smirked at the pair, glancing at Anna and raising a brow. They both chuckled, Alice approaching her.

"So, you had a pleasant birthday weekend, I hope?" Alice asked.

"I did, thank you." Anna replied.

"Do you suppose we could take a turn about the town? I would like to see more of this place. It's quite lovely." Alice suggested.

"Sure! I'll give you a tour." Anna replied, the two girls making their way out of the courtyard as Sven toppled over a table head first, Kristoff guffawing as Sven got up, shaking his head and sticking his tongue out at him.

Alice looked around the market place once in town, Anna pointing out certain things and even buying a few items for Alice, much to her gratitude. They eventually reached the dock, Alice biting into a green apple. "What a breathtaking view." She commented.

"I love it here." Anna replied. "It's so peaceful, and I love to watch the boats travel in and out of the port."

Alice sat in deep thought then, thinking of Eliza. She began to realize that this would be a much better environment for her, and though she was a bit wary of Pitch and Elsa still, she knew she could trust Anna with her, even Kristoff, despite his aloof ways. "I was hoping to ask you something." Alice finally spoke.

"Sure, what is it?" Anna replied.

"With the unidentified intruder back at the workshop... I have been reluctant to return Eliza there to stay." She said. "If it isn't a great burden... I was hoping she could remain here in Arendelle, at least until I can find new arrangements."

"Of course she can stay! Olaf is always happy when she's around and she's such a sweet girl." Anna smiled.

"Thank you." Alice smiled lightly. "I would feel great relief just knowing that she's safe."

"Yeah... but Alice... I heard that the Queen is still alive... do you think she'll try to come after us?" Anna asked worriedly.

"It's certainly a possibility. I hate to place this kingdom under risk, but it's more likely that defenses will hold up here than at the workshop where we're so isolated." Alice replied.

"True... and with Elsa reinstated and better established now, our kingdom's defenses are definitely a better help." Anna remarked.

Meanwhile, Jack sighed lightly, smiling blissfully as he finally willed himself to leave his and Alice's room. He was still reeling over Alice making out with him earlier, shuffling through the halls in a love sick daze. Bunny stared at him flatly as he walked by, sighing as he glanced around awkwardly. All of these... couples around him, it definitely weighed his heart down knowing he could not enjoy the same comforts. He noticed Sandy sulking as well, sitting beside him and patting the smaller dream guardian's back.

"Least you've got someone to mope about." Bunny said. "She'll be fine... North is with her, and as much as I hate Wick, he can put up a fight."

Sandy nodded, looking up at him and forming sand pictures to say that Bunny would find someone someday also. Bunny smiled lightly, nodding.

"Thanks, mate." Bunny said before glancing over to see Eliza approaching him. "Hey, little ankle biter. Feeling better?" He asked, the young girl giggling a bit when he ruffled her hair.

"Yes." She replied. "I'm a little hungry."

Sandy piped up then, smiling as he formed a sand picture of cake over his head. Eliza giggled, nodding and beaming.

"Well, there's your answer. Come on, there's some left over." Bunny said as she went towards the dining hall.

Alice and Anna returned then, meeting up with Jack inside the palace.

"Hey, Eliza is feeling better. She's having some cake with Olaf." Jack said, smiling.

"Good." Alice smiled back. "Is Pitch about? I would like to speak with him."

"Oh... I think he's with Elsa in one of the meeting rooms..." Jack said, his smile fading a bit.

"I'll seek him out there, then." Alice said, making her way up the stairs.

Jack sighed lightly, rubbing his forehead. "She won't rest until she gets to the bottom of this. I'm really worried about her."

"She's just trying to protect her family... I know she would never admit it, but she and my sister have a lot more in common than they realize." Anna said.

"I guess..." Jack said. "But if the Queen is still alive after all this time, wouldn't she have tried to pull something sooner if she was sure we weren't aware of it?" He asked.

"Who knows, Jack... I don't know as much about her as you all do, but from what Elsa told me, she's very dangerous. It's safe to say that you can't put anything past her." Anna replied.

Alice reached a door, knocking on it lightly. A few moments later, the door was opened by Elsa.

"Oh, hello Alice. Can I help you with something?" Elsa asked.

Alice glanced past her to see Pitch in the room before returning her attention to her. "I would like a moment with Pitch. It doesn't need to be in total privacy."

Elsa was about to say something when she felt a light hand on her shoulder, looking behind her to see Pitch give her a nod. "Come in, Alice. I've been meaning to speak to you as well."

"Perfect." Alice said as she headed inside, taking a seat.

"Elsa and I have been discussing the situation at hand. I apologize if you felt my actions were disloyal in nature, but that was not my intention. I am well aware how you like to jump to conclusions first and ask questions later. I was trying to avoid panic, is all." Pitch explained.

"That's all very well, but there is nothing that would have caused greater panic than if you would have let it progress so far that she was standing right at our doorstep. Is this guaranteed to happen? Of course not. But is it possible? Knowing her better than anyone, absolutely, and it is not something I want to risk." Alice replied.

"Very well. So here is a probable solution. Is there a way you can locate her without her being aware?" Pitch asked.

"In what manner?" Alice replied.

"I sense a very strong connection still remaining between you and the Queen, Alice. She may be physically separate from you now, but mentally and emotionally, far from so." Pitch said.

Alice nodded in understanding. "I see what you mean. This is something I will spend the day in an attempt to find an answer to. If I can get at least a vague grasp as to her whereabouts... we can- at least, I assume you're implying this- take care to observe her in secrecy?"

"Precisely." Pitch said.

Elsa watched between them in silence, glancing at Alice as she pursed her lips in thought.

"Alright then, I won't hesitate any longer to get started." Alice said, standing to her feet. "Pitch, Elsa..." She gave them a nod. "It's been a nice chat." She then took her leave, exiting the room.

"Well, that went better than expected..." Elsa commented.

"For both of our sakes, I'm glad for that." Pitch said, releasing the breath he had been holding.

* * *

The Queen arrived at their destination with Hans, the Monkey King and his monkey minions, approaching the concaved mountain. She took a moment to survey the area, nodding to herself. "This will do. Come! We shall rest here, and then I shall speak to all of you."

They began to make their way into the mountain, the Monkey King shouting commands to his minions as they followed. Upon entering, the inside was flat, save for one stone like structure protruding from the very center, encased in hardened ashes. The Queen held up a hand, sensing something. She slowly approached it, narrowing her eyes as she stopped mere inches from it.

"It looks like something is curled up inside it..." Hans remarked.

"Indeed, it does..." The Queen answered, extending a hand to touch it. When she did, a pair of eyes popped open, and everyone scrambled back as black smoke began to emerge from the unfurling creature, bursting into light. It resembled molten lava and ashes, the creature growing in size. The Queen stared with awe as it unfurled its wings, emitting a loud screech that shook the mountain. She held her hands up as it loomed over them, its wings spread wide in a threatening stance.

"Only I command the forces of this mountain and the streams of fire that flow through it. Any who trespass shall not leave this realm with their lives, for they shall suffer by my fiery hunger!" The creature spoke, towering over all of them like a gargantuan bird engulfed in flames.

As the creature was about to unleash all hell upon the group, the Queen hissed ferociously, her mouth opening wide to reveal her sharp teeth. She emitted her own flames at the creature, who reeled back in surprise at the attack.

"None have ever challenged me, none have ever come forth with such power!" It exclaimed. "I shall not fret, for I shall still destroy you!"

"I don't think so!" The Queen shouted, winds picking up. "You shall suffer for your-"

"Wait, your highness." Hans stepped forward suddenly, surprising the Queen. The creature looked upon Hans warily, narrowing its eyes. "Is there no service we can provide in exchange for your mercy?"

"There is not one thing you can do for me that I cannot do for myself; your offer is immaterial!" It shouted.

"So there is not a single thing that you need assistance with? Nothing for you to gain, nothing in this entire world that you cannot overpass?" Hans asked.

The creature was about to speak, when it hesitated. The Queen noticed this, looking between them and smirking lightly.

"There is one being... one I seek to destroy and overtake this land, but her powers are ancient in nature, and her domain is impenetrable without her grant." It explained.

Hans nodded. "If we were to assist you in overcoming this obstacle... would you allow us to keep our lives?"

Tension that could be cut with a knife lingered in the air, moments seeming like an eternity passing before the creature gave its answer. "If you were to assist me with this, then I shall grant your request. You would find solace here and share this realm without harm from me."

Hans thanked the creature, glancing back when the Queen rested one of her large hands on his shoulder, nodding to him in approval. She then turned to the creature, taking a step forward. "What are you called?" She asked.

"I am Fire Phoenix. I draw my strength from the molten core of the earth, it is what fuels my ambitious nature." It said.

"I too, am ambitious... each one of us here is. We all have enemies and obstacles we seek to surpass, and I shall make sure it comes to pass. I am the Queen of Hearts... and your decision to not make an enemy of me was wise. You shall see in time that it shall benefit you." She spoke. She turned to the Monkey King, giving him a nod. He then turned to his minions, calling out to them.

"Khuaran tokhiruulakh khangamj tsugluulj! Id shid zevseg!" He shouted, his minions chanting in response before rummaging about and around the mountain, finding rocks, twigs, branches and other things to set up huts inside the mountain, make fires and weapons.

After some time, the Queen stood in the center of the mountain, gathering everyone's attention. The Phoenix shrunk down to a smaller size, still standing tall and proudly. The Monkey King was able to understand the Queen, and the Queen could understand the Monkey King due to her ability to read hearts. Hans watched and listened curiously, hoping to finally grasp a full understanding of what was to happen, where they were to go from here.

"As you may know by now, I am called the Queen of Hearts. I was part from an inception from a world called Wonderland. The creator of this world was my enemy. She had allied herself with several of your enemies here... Elsa of Arendelle... Toothiana and the other guardians who stand by her. In Wonderland, there were those few who remained loyal to me, and they were destroyed for it. But now, I have almost everything that I require to build a new empire. I require a Jabberwocky... a knave of hearts..." She looked to Hans. "... a Jub Jub Bird..." She glanced over at the Phoenix, nodding in satisfaction. "... and a Bandersnatch." She glanced over to the Monkey King and his minions. "All of you have fit into those roles so far to my standard, but there is one more I must find. Once I find this last creature, we can begin to turn our intentions to action. Our enemies, and those who fight alongside them, shall be shown no mercy. As Queen, I bequeath all of you rewards when we are to succeed in their destruction; Hans, you shall receive the kingdom of Arendelle. Maharaja, you shall receive Tooth Palace. And you, o great Phoenix, shall receive the land of the vast forest once it is overtaken." She received silent approval from them, smirking lightly. "Your task is simple. Swear loyalty to your Queen, destroy your enemies and mine by my command, and I shall give you everything you desire."

"Daichid, övdög sögdön! Khatan khaan ni möndör!" The Monkey King shouted, he followed by all his minions bowing in servitude and chanting. Hans glanced at them unsurely before kneeling himself, bowing his head as he looked around silently. The Queen smirked as she nodded, turning to the Phoenix and raising a brow. She tilted her head, the Phoenix sensing not only the power she retained, but also the power of her influence. Finally, it slowly bowed its head, making the Queen smirk wider.

"Soon... soon, this war shall begin in earnest." She said lowly, chuckling to herself.

* * *

 **Oh dear... with the Queen already stacking her cards against her enemies (no pun intended) will our heroes be able to thwart her plans in time? Stay tuned for more in future chapters, and thank you so much for reading! See you next time!**


	6. Making Unpleasant Discoveries

**Hello readers! I am back again with a new chapter, so I hope you're ready for more drama and adventure! Things are going to start heating up (literally) so prepare to the intensity to start rising! Please enjoy as always, and take a moment to leave a little review afterward!**

* * *

Eugene groaned, sighing lightly as he finally felt like he got a moment to himself. Just as he felt content for the first time since he arrived to Arendelle with all these crazy guests, he jumped when he felt a light tug on his sleeve. He glanced down to see Eliza looking up at him, Olaf with her.

"Mister, have you seen princess Rapunzel?" She asked lightly.

"She wants her hair braided so it looks nice and pretty again!" Olaf beamed. "Well, I think it always does." He giggled as Eliza smiled, gently patting his head.

He blinked, clearing his throat. "I, uh… I think she was helping that big rabbit guy with something…"

Eliza glanced to the side, shifting the weight on her feet as she frowned deeply. She had begun to notice Eugene maintaining a distance, looking at most of the guests there as if they had two heads. "It's alright… I'll find her myself. You're afraid of all of us anyway. Come on, Olaf."

"Oh… okay then." Olaf tilted his head a bit, seeing Eliza was upset as he waddled alongside her.

Eugene had her attention at his, looking after her as she started to walk off. He actually felt bad, never intending to make the child uncomfortable. He strode up to her, reaching out a hand.

"Hey… look, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"

"Don't touch me!" Eliza shouted suddenly and shoved his hand off her shoulder, making any who happened to be in earshot glance towards the source of the outburst. Eugene blinked in surprise, Eliza in shock with herself as she looked down at her hands. She began to feel very tense, her hands trembling as her eyes widened. She felt someone grab her hand, gasping when she looked up to see her father, her mother beside her.

 _"Emma, how many times have I told you not to cry in public? People are beginning to stare again."_

 _"And stop your shaking, it's the middle of spring and not a snowflake is on the ground… you must learn to cope, you must learn to move on!"_

 _"We shall have no peace; we cannot even leave the house for a short while without her going into one of her fits! People are going to think poorly of us, we have failed one of our children, they will think we have destroyed the second!"_

 _"When are you going to stop coddling that child?"_

 _"What is she crying about? Why does she appear as if she's seen a ghost?"_

 _"There's something wrong with her, send her away!"_

 _"She's a nuisance! A burden! Give her a good beating!"_

 _"Teach that child a lesson!"_

"Eliza?" Olaf asked worriedly, his stick hands reaching out for her when she slowly fell to her knees, her hands covering her ears as she began to hyperventilate. She saw the village in Burgess she grew up in, the voices and angry faces of the village folk and her parents swirling in maddening circles.

At a total loss, Eugene scooped Eliza up, taking her to the nearest room where there was a place to at least sit down. He gently placed her down, feeling her forehead to discover she was beginning to heat up. When the nightmarish hallucination dissipated, she glanced over at Eugene, her eyes still wide as she tried to stabilize her breathing.

"Forgive me, sir…" She said quietly before covering her face, crying into her hands. "They were… afraid… afraid of what I had done… afraid… of who I had become…"

Eugene stared at her warily. "I- I'm sorry, I… I don't understand-"

"It was my fault that Jack died… mother told us to be careful… but I wasn't. Jack died to save me." Eliza said.

"Jack… you mean, that white-haired guy, right? But he's… he's fine now, isn't he? Look… I know I haven't been the most open since I've been here… I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. But you don't have to be upset." Eugene said.

"Have you ever seen someone that you love die?" Eliza asked. "Right before your eyes?"

The young man was taken aback by the child's question and her haunting stare, clearing his throat. "No… but um…" He bit his lip; putting two and two together, as well as little bits and pieces of her situation he had heard since his stay, his heart sank a bit as he began to feel incredibly sorry for her. "… listen… how about you… you tell me what's upsetting you. If you do, then I'll help you find Rapunzel, okay? And I'll try not to be so rude anymore."

Eliza thought for a moment, glancing to the side. "May I pet Maximus after? I've felt too unwell to go to the stables."

"Rapunzel told you about him, huh?" Eugene smiled lightly. "Yeah, we can go pet him afterwards."

Eliza gave the faintest of smiles before bowing her head, twiddling her thumbs. "I've been having these nightmares… but they're memories… I'm beginning to remember everything that happened to me after I lost Jack."

Meanwhile, Rapunzel was helping Bunny weave flowers through the small wicker baskets and paint eggs with Bunny outside, humming lightly as she did so. "This is really relaxing…" She commented.

"Try doing this every year for a few centuries, you'll want to pull your hair out." Bunny responded, making Rapunzel giggle.

"Well, sorry to say I've barely been alive a couple decades." She said as she finished painting another egg. "Say… I was wondering, and you don't have to answer, but I'm a bit nosey. Do you like Alice?" Bunny nearly choked, shaking his head as his eyes widened. This made Rapunzel giggle more. "You DO like her! I see the way you look after her longingly. Why don't you just tell her?"

Bunny sighed, scratching the back of his ear. "I DID tell her… sometime back… she and Jack are together, they like each other."

Rapunzel frowned a bit then, understanding. "I see… I'm sorry, I… oh, I must have just…"

"It's alright, don't worry about it." Bunny sighed lightly.

Rapunzel bit her lip then. "I'm not the best at making friends… sometimes it's hard to make a conversation and I say the wrong thing…"

"Must not be so hard… you've got prince charming, don't you?" Bunny asked.

"Eugene… yeah, he's… he's the reason why I'm happy now. Before he came around, I spent my whole life locked in a tower with someone who I thought was my mother, but wasn't… oh, that's why I wanted to help you with this, see… I spent each day painting. It passed the time. But it was lonely… and I was always yearning to go out, see the world… it must be so gratifying that one day of the year you get to go to all those places." Rapunzel said.

"Well… I don't really go, I just… I quickly make sure my eggs are hidden and then scram. I don't stay in one place for long… and when it's all done, back to the Warren I go. But… that whole bit with you… that's a shame. What a bloody lunatic that woman must have been." Bunny said.

"She was… but I have Eugene now, so I don't dwell on that anymore." Rapunzel said.

"Yeah… must be nice to find that someone." Bunny sighed sadly.

"Hey… come on, you…" Rapunzel started, taking Bunny's hand. "… now, I know there is someone out there for you. And as dedicated as you are to painting eggs, you will be just as dedicated when you find that someone. Oh, and when you DO, I better be the first person you tell!"

Bunny chuckled lightly, giving her a nod. "I'll have to remember that." He smiled softly. "Thanks, Sheila."

"Oh, um… it's Rapunzel." She giggled. "Don't worry, you'll get it next time, I'm sure-"

"Rapunzel!" Olaf shouted as he waddled towards them. "Eliza was crying and upset about something, I think she needs your help!"

Alarmed, Bunny and Rapunzel glanced at each other before placing everything aside, following Olaf into the castle. They made their way to where Eugene and Eliza were, slowing to a stop outside the room when they heard them talking inside.

"... and it took me some time before I saw Rapunzel as just someone to cart along before I realized how great she was. When Gothel threatened to lock her up forever, I knew in that moment that I would do anything for Rapunzel... I love her. I died in her arms after cutting her hair." Eugene said.

Eliza's eyes widened. "You... died?"

"Yeah... but Eliza, when I sacrificed myself for her... I became a different person. Yeah, I died, which is pretty scary... most likely scarier for her, but if I hadn't taken that risk... if I hadn't saved her then... I may have lost her forever. And Eliza... I think Jack was thinking the same thing that day on the lake. If he hadn't saved you... he would have been devastated if anything happened to you... and he probably wouldn't be a super awesome guardian right now." Eugene said.

"Yeah... but still... doesn't that make me... bad?" Eliza asked quietly.

"Well, is Rapunzel a bad person?" Eugene asked.

"No..." Eliza replied.

"Well, neither are you. Eliza, bad people are out there in the world. But if you try your best to do the right thing, and you find the right people to be with... then you will never be one of those bad people." Eugene said.

Eliza smiled lightly. "Do you think you'll like everyone here now?"

Eugene chuckled. "Yeah... I was kind of a jerk for judging everyone. You know, maybe one day you can visit Rapunzel's kingdom and see the light festival with us. That's where I realized for sure I loved her... who knows, maybe you'll find your mystery guy there." He chuckled.

"Oh come on Eugene, she's barely old enough to date!" Rapunzel giggled, finally making herself known as she walked into the room with Bunny. "I can see everything seems to be okay here... Olaf was a bit worried."

"You little nosey..." Eugene chuckled. "Yeah, everything's alright now."

"Made a new friend?" Bunny smiled.

Eliza nodded, hopping out of the chair. "Rapunzel, Eugene said I could go see Maximus! May I?"

"Of course! And I think if I'm not mistaken, someone wants their hair braided." Rapunzel smiled, taking Eliza's hand as they headed out the room.

Bunny smiled lightly, glancing back at Eugene. "Who knew that you were so good with kids? You'r jumpier than me, mate."

Eugene sighed lightly, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm sorry if I was rude... just... this particular... group... is going to take some getting used to."

"I understand mate, but don't worry, my ears are bigger than my bite. No hair off the hide." He pat Eugene's shoulder in a friendly manner. "I do appreciate that though, the kid's been through a lot."

"I can see that... I can't believe that she and Alice had to deal with all that. Maybe Rapunzel and I have more in common with you guys than I thought." Eugene said.

"I reckon you're right. Come on, let's make sure those two don't get into any trouble, huh?" Bunny said, he and Eugene heading towards the stables.

Meanwhile, Alice sat in her bedroom, her eyes closed in deep concentration. Her breathing was steady, even, and she straightened her spine as she opened her mind. Approaching footsteps broke her focus, opening her eyes to glance over, Jack lingering in the doorway.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, approaching her slowly.

"I'm trying to establish a discreet, one-sided mental connection with the Queen... extremely limited to the general details of where she's located and her current state. I need to determine if she is, or could be, a threat." Alice replied.

Jack walked over, taking Alice's hand. "Alice, I'm really starting to worry about you. You're... you're getting too deep into this."

"I have to, Jack. Everyone here, at the workshop, is in danger." Alice said. "By the way, where have you been?"

Jack blinked a bit. "Talking to Anna... and we were saying how if the Queen hasn't tried to attack us by now, then maybe we don't need to worry as much as we-"

"So you're telling me that like Pitch, you are willing to wait until she launches an attack first before we act?" Alice asked, becoming frustrated.

"I'm not saying that, Alice... I'm just... you've been so tense, and-"

"Give me one reason why I should not be? Jack, Eliza was almost taken from us once, I am not going to risk that again. Are you?" Alice asked.

"No... but I think you just need to take a break at least... come on, we can take a walk or something..." Jack said.

Alice sighed lightly. "Perhaps later. Pitch is expecting me to be prepared by tonight to seek out the Queen."

"W- Wait, hold on a second... when did all of this happen?" Jack asked.

"Earlier. We're going to find for ourselves what-"

"So you get mad at me because I talked to him behind your back, but then you turn around and do the same thing?" Jack asked.

"Jack, with my powers of insight and his stealth, we can put any false rumors or speculation in regards to her to rest." Alice replied.

"Okay, that's it. You are not going anywhere, you are staying right here, and-"

"Hold your tongue, Jack Frost!" Alice snapped. "I thought you had a sudden onset of pity and now you will not allow me to accompany him to observe a possibly growing enemy?"

"That's totally different, Alice! If there is something dangerous out there, I don't want you just throwing yourself right into the thick of it!" Jack exclaimed.

"Well, being you won't for Eliza, I shall." Alice replied, turning away. "Now if you will excuse me, I must return to my prior engagement."

Jack was flabbergasted; when had he and Alice become so... bitter with each other? No... he wasn't just going to let this slide. He loved her, and he knew she loved him; whether either of them liked it or not, they were going to set aside their differences somehow.

While this was going on, Eliza giggled as Rapunzel helped her onto Maximus' back, her hair braided like Rapunzel's had been when she went to her first light festival. She gently pat Maximus' side, the horse snorting lightly as he smiled at her. Rapunzel watched as he trotted slowly, Eliza exclaiming happily.

"I never thought I would ever ride a horse in my life!" She beamed.

Rapunzel giggled. "Maximus is very good, he's one of the royal horses of Corona."

"Wow, a royal horse? No wonder he's so pretty!" Eliza smiled, Maximus puffing his chest out proudly.

After a short while, Eliza got the hang of handling Maximus, looking over at Rapunzel. "I want to bring Alice out here so I can show her what I learned!"

"Okay, let me help you down..." Rapunzel replied, helping her down so she could head back into the castle.

Meanwhile, Jack exhaled sharply, lifting Alice up from under her arms to pull her into a hug.

"Jack Frost, you place me down this instant!" Alice exclaimed.

"No, Alice. I can't take this distance between us anymore, I need us to be on the same page again." Jack replied calmly as he continued to hug her.

"So do I Jack, but there are important things to be done!" Alice said, trying to wriggle out of Jack's hold.

"Nothing is more important than staying close to each other, Alice! We can't be fighting all the time like this!" Jack exclaimed.

"And that won't happen if we're dead!" She shoved Jack off of him, taking in a deep breath when he frowned at her. "I'm sorry, Jack... you don't know the Queen like I do. She will stop at nothing to take everything I love from me, one way or another."

"Not before you push it all away first." Jack replied, shaking his head. "You want some alone time, fine. I'll come back when you cool off." He turned to walk out of the room, opening the door to see Eliza standing there, visibly upset. He groaned lightly, Alice seeing her as well as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey... it's okay, Alice and I were just-"

"No it isn't!" Eliza exclaimed. "You were fighting again, all you do lately is fight with each other, and it's because of me!"

"It's not because of you... we're both just scared, and we're worried about everyone." Jack replied.

"I don't want to hear it anymore, Jack... mother and father did the same thing after you fell in the lake, I remembered it... and then they... they eventually sent me away..." Eliza said, her voice becoming shaky.

Alice joined Jack's side, taking Eliza's hand. "No one is sending you away. You will always have someone beside you to care for you. Things are hard now... but I love Jack dearly. We will progress through this."

Eliza shook her head, not believing it from what she had heard behind the closed door. She tore away from them, running down the hall to her room where she slammed the door shut, tears starting to pour down her cheeks. Alice sighed as she stood to her feet, Jack running a hand through his hair.

"Our arguments are beginning to make her distraught, Jack. She feels as if she's reliving her past." Alice sighed.

"I don't want us to fight anymore, Alice... I hate this." Jack said. "Look at us... look at you, you look so worn down. That's all I'm saying, Alice... you need to give yourself a break, you have to remember to not forget us... if that makes sense..."

"It does." Alice turned to face him. "But Jack, I'm a guardian now. And more than that, the Queen is my enemy. It is my responsibility to make sure she does not harm anyone in retaliation."

"No Alice. She's OUR enemy. Anyone who tries to hurt you is hurting me. And... I mean, yeah, I feel bad for Pitch as far as his daughter goes... but I don't like you going off to some dangerous place with just him. It's not that I don't trust him, exactly..." Jack said.

"You are concerned that he wouldn't fight as strongly to protect me as you would." Alice finished for him.

Jack nodded. "Yeah... how did you-...?"

"Power of insight, Jack." Alice smiled lightly as she tapped her head. Jack exhaled, smiling sadly as he and Alice embraced. "However, in all seriousness... I must go. I think you should see to it that Eliza's own concerns are eased."

"Okay… just… be careful. You don't know what you're getting yourself into." Jack said.

"Hopefully your worried expression will change upon my return; I can only pray my intuition is wrong this time." Alice said, heading down the hall.

Jack smiled lightly after her, glad they had least come to some agreement. He then glanced towards Eliza's room, wandering towards it and opening the door a crack. He glanced in, seeing Eliza curled up in bed, sobbing. He exhaled, slowly approaching her and placing a gentle hand on her back.

"Jack…" She whimpered lightly and wiped her eyes. "I don't want to feel like this anymore…"

"I know. You deserve better, Eliza. I know that it hasn't been easy for you. But you have to remember that we love you deep down… and Alice and I love each other." Jack said.

"Then why have you been fighting so much?" Eliza asked.

"Because… because…" He bit his lip. "… even guardians… even powerful people can be scared, or not know exactly what the right thing to do is."

Eliza glanced up at him, resting her head against his arm. "I can't go back out looking like this now, Jack…"

He smirked lightly, crouching down a bit. "Looking like what? Come on… who could resist someone so cute, huh?"

Eliza giggled. "Jack…" She whined. "You know what I mean…"

"I'll make those tear stains vanish in seconds, I just have to press the magic button." Jack said, poking her nose a bit as Eliza playfully swatted her hands at him.

"Jack, stop it…" She giggled.

"How about I come outside with you?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I must show you how I can ride a horse now! Rapunzel is still waiting for me…" Eliza frowned a bit.

"Well then, we better take a shortcut!" Jack exclaimed, scooping Eliza up and holding her steady, taking to air as he soared out the window.

Meanwhile, Alice approached where Pitch and Elsa were, lightly knocking on the door. Pitch opened it moments later, exhaling slowly.

"Have you made any progress?" He asked.

"I believe I have." Alice replied. "Let's get this started."

They both sat down across from each other, Elsa dismissing herself as she slowly closed the door behind her. She did not like this one bit; not that she didn't trust Pitch… it was Alice she didn't trust. She had seen first-hand what she was capable of, and she didn't like the fact that she was dragging Pitch into HER problems… problems she felt that Alice should simply deal with herself.

In the meantime, Alice opened her eyes after several minutes, exhaling deeply. "I believe I have found her." She glanced up at Pitch. "Tell me again why we cannot just utilize the snow globe?"

"Because that may cause us to appear right in front of her for the world to see. We need to sacrifice convenience for welfare." Pitch replied.

"I suppose you have a point… otherwise I would have gone through all this work for nothing." Alice said.

"So, where have you deduced that she is?" Pitch asked.

"Somewhere in the States... I haven't a clue as to why she would be there. What shall our method of travel be?" Alice asked.

"Oh don't worry, I'll whisk us away to the states in just a pinch." Pitch said, conjuring a bit of black sand. "Then you can give me further directions."

"Careful now, this isn't a romantic getaway." Alice said, getting to her feet. Pitch approached her, clearing his throat then as he hesitantly extended his hand. Alice rolled her eyes when he found difficulty deciding an appropriate place to rest it, Alice taking it and placing it on her shoulder firmly. "I swear, you overthink everything."

"Speak for yourself, miss Wonderland." Pitch replied as he waved a hand, the two becoming consumed in a small whirlwind of black sand as they flew swiftly out the window.

* * *

Hans nodded in understanding as he sat with the Queen, Maharaja and the Phoenix, the Queen having gone more in depth in the allies Elsa had acquired in the last few months, as well as some background on them.

"So, these guardians seem to be our main concern." Hans confirmed. "How will we set out to engage them, then? You are the most knowledgeable with their strengths and weaknesses."

"Indeed, I am..." The Queen answered. "I shall find our final party and then we shall discuss that. I suggest you become more familiar with your new abilities and learn how to use them."

"Bi Toothiana tsusyg asgakh neg baikh yostoi... busdad yuu ogt khamaagüi!" Maharaja exclaimed.

"Yes... I shall ensure that you shall be the one to end her life." She said to him. "However, I would also like to become more enlightened about this... forest creature you are so determined to destroy. If we are to fit that into our schedule, I should like to be completely aware of what we're up against." The Queen said to the Phoenix.

"The forest is impenetrable unless the creature allows those to pass. As far as I know, she has few enemies as well as allies, she maintains her domain alone." The Phoenix said.

"Very well... in time we shall figure out how to act in regards to that. Your diplomacy may come to serve me well again, Hans." The Queen smirked.

"Yes, your highness." Hans said, bowing his head lightly.

The Queen rose, taking a snow globe into her hands. "I shall return in a short while. I leave you all in charge among yourselves to continue preparations. Once I assimilate our final party, we shall follow through in the upcoming phase in our plan." She shook the snow globe, staring into it as she narrowed her eyes. "Find me a Jabberwocky." When a swirling image appeared, she cast the object down, entering the portal that opened up before vanishing.

At the same time, Pitch and Alice appeared just outside a vast forest, glancing around a bit.

"Well, this is fantastic. Where to, navigator?" Pitch asked.

"Don't trifle with me." Alice shot a glance at him before concentrating. "Hm... I was able to sense her somewhere in that direction... but somehow I just lost it."

"Wonderful. So we're going to travel through an unfamiliar forest containing who knows what, with no sense of definite direction." Pitch rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, would you like to offer a better plan, or try to locate her yourself? I wouldn't mind going back to Arendelle to have a spot of tea, if you ask me." Alice put a hand on her hip.

"No, and I didn't ask." Pitch sighed. "Let's just get on with this."

They were about to enter into the forest when they both jumped back a bit as thick vines covered in sharp thorns sprouted before them, making a thick wall that was impassable. Alice took a step back, motioning Pitch to do the same. When they did, the vines retreated into the ground as if they had never existed.

"Seems like this forest desires to keep something in..." Alice said.

"Or to keep something out..." Pitch commented, narrowing his eyes. He was feeling a very strong vibe from this forest. "I sense a very old power here... see, most immortals age like wine; they grow more potent over time. This is not something we should engage with."

"Very well... then how are we to proceed?" Alice asked.

"Either above or around. Try to keep a focus on where you last made a connection." Pitch said.

"Well, this forest seems to stretch quite far across... going around may prove just as difficult as going through it. We should take to flight and get a better grasp as to how far we must travel." Alice suggested.

"Sounds reasonable." Pitch replied, the two floating upwards to scan the horizon. In the far distance, they located a lone, concaved mountain, not far outside the forest's range.

"There..." Alice spoke, pointing in its direction. "... I believe that is where we must go."

"Doesn't seem too difficult." Pitch replied, the two beginning to make their way across the great forest, the tree tops seeming to conceal all that was contained within it.

They had barely begun their trek when the sky darkened, winds beginning to pick up. Pitch narrowed his eyes, sensing a great power in the air. "Alice, I have a feeling we may want to speed this up."

"And why is that? Missing your snow queen at home?" Alice smirked.

"Yes, but that's not why I'm making this suggestion..." Pitch answered, a low rumbling that growled in the sky suddenly bursting into rain falling heavily from the swirling, darkening clouds.

Thunder began to erupt, lightening dancing across the sky before shooting straight down upon them like arrows. Alice gasped from the sudden assault, her and Pitch swaying to and fro rapidly to avoid being struck. Vines like arms began to shoot up into the air from below as well, attempting to grab and wrap around them. Despite the onset of attacks from both above and below, something deep inside him told him that retaliation was not warranted here. He could not afford to dwell upon the onset of this notion, needing to focus on staying alive. Alice used her vorpal blade to slash at the vines, but failed to see a thunderbolt moving straight towards her. Pitch grit his teeth, lunging forward to grab Alice by her arm, yanking her out of the way just in time before she could be hit. She gasped from the occurrence, quickly glancing at him. She gave him a nod, the two resuming their evasion of the elements. When they finally approached the mountain, they dove down, the inclement weather beginning to die down as they were no longer soaring above the hostile forest. The rumbling ceased to a stop, the vines that had been clawing upwards into the sky retreating back into the tree tops. Alice and Pitch took a moment to catch their breath as they rested their backs against the outside of the mountain.

"Well, that was unexpected..." Alice commented. "I have never encountered such a thing."

"Something seemed... different about that power... so concentrated... so rooted into the environment around it..." Pitch spoke in a whisper.

"Quite literally." Alice replied. "We'll not endure that again on the return trip. Come, we mustn't waste time."

"Do you sense her now?" Pitch asked.

"No, it's quite confusing... I do sense traces... it's as if she's no longer here, but left quite recently." Alice said.

"Hm..." Pitch pondered. "In that case, if this mountain is abandoned, there may be clues as to where she may have run off to."

"Yes. Let's search this place quickly and try to get back on track to relocating her." Alice said as they reached the top. When they peeked over the edge, what they saw shocked both of them.

This place was far from abandoned, even without the Queen present.

Maharaja's minions were scavenging for natural metals, the Phoenix aiding them in welding them as others built up huts and other structures inside the mountain. The inside was aglow with this activity as Maharaja shouted to them.

"Zer zevseg khiij bai! Ta bür süüliin neg ir baina boltol zogsooj bolokhgüi!" He shouted, raising a newly forged sword made just for him; it was larger than the others.

"Tiim ee, sür javkhlan!" They all chanted back.

Hans held his hand out, conjuring flames as he taught himself quickly how to control his new powers. "We must prepare quickly! Once the Queen returns, we must have ample supplies to stand up against our opposition!" Hans shouted.

"Oh, you have got to be joking..." Pitch groaned lightly.

Alice was speechless for several moments, her breath hitching as she tried to take in the scene before her. "It's worse than I perceived... she's building an army..." She looked over at Pitch.

"That creature there..." Pitch pointed out Maharaja. "He was once a fierce hunter who slayed the mother and father of the Tooth Fairy. He was quite dead the last time I saw him... he was an old accomplice of mine."

"We are to return to Arendelle, and tell us everything you know of him. What about that creature there...?" She motioned to the Phoenix.

"A new pet of the Queen's, I'm not familiar with it." Pitch said.

"We cannot wait any longer... we have to figure out a way to stop this immediately." She took Pitch's hand, taking him by surprise as she led him down the mountain.

"Were we not seeking out the Queen? I don't know about you but she was not present down there." Pitch asked.

"I've seen all I need to see, I've seen all I need to know that my greatest concerns have been confirmed!" Alice explained. "Take us back however you must, but do so quickly!"

Pitch sighed, seeing how tense Alice was becoming, rightfully so. As Pitch too was trying to take in what he had seen, he realized that with Hans on her side, he knew one of the top people on their hit list without even asking.

Elsa. His Elsa.

Beginning to feel the same anxiety as Alice now, he nodded firmly as he took her up into his sand once again, diving around the edge of the forest swiftly to avoid being attacked again.

* * *

 **Oh dear, Alice is not a happy camper right now, and Pitch is none too happy either. Will they be able to stop the Queen's forces before they fully prepare themselves? Fine out more in the next chapter, and thank you again for reading and for your support!**


	7. Virtually Awakening Rudely

**Good evening, readers! Some good news for any "Wreckling" fans out there, you will certainly be happy tonight! Yes, we will finally see the appearance of the Wreck it Ralph crew and how they will fit into this story! I hope you're all pumped, and prepared for some more action and drama! I won't ramble on anymore, so please sit back, enjoy, and read away!**

* * *

The Queen arrived at her destination, taking note of her surroundings. When she heard great commotion in the distance, she looked towards its source, narrowing her eyes as she slinked towards it undetected.

"Thankth to you, Ralph, I'm now the motht powerful virus in the arcade! I can take over any game I want! I should thank you, but it'd be more fun to kill you!" A voice shouted loudly from atop a large volcano.

The Queen poked her head up over the edge to see a great creature battling against what looked to be a lumberjack of some sort; she assumed this was who he had referred to as Ralph. Her eyes widened, a grin spreading across her face. "Yes... what a magnificent specimen..."

"Get back here, little guy!" The creature shouted, his hands clawing through the air as he pursued Ralph. "Have thome candy!" Ralph shoved the creature away from him, but he twisted his head to look back as him, curling up into a spiked circular shape to roll menacingly towards him, his hands extending to grab Ralph. "I'm not through with you yet! Up we go!"

The Queen watched in awe as wings sprouted from the creature's back, ascending into the air.

"NO!" Ralph cried out as he struggled.

"Oh look at that, it's your little friends!" The creature laughed mockingly as Ralph looked down upon a small group of individuals surrounded by mechanical insect creatures slowly closing in on them.

"Vanellope!" Ralph cried out.

"Lookth like it'th game over for both of you!" The creature beamed wickedly.

"No... just for me!" Ralph growled as he broke out of the creature's hold, cascading down towards the volcano.

The Queen was intrigued as to why Ralph had done this, watching as he cascaded towards the top of the volcano. Once he did, it seemed to crash inwards, erupting in a volcanic explosion that sent hot, molten material shooting upwards for several miles. The Queen scurried away just in time to avoid any impact from it, but noticed something peculiar when she noticed all of the mechanical insect creatures flying into the molten geyser. When she then saw her desired creature doing the same as well, warping as it struggled with itself, she took to action. She quickly scurried around the volcano, bracing herself before launching off of it, one of her large hands extended. She grabbed one of the creature's hands, but to her misfortune, it was so close to the lava stream that it was the only part she managed to salvage, tumbling down the volcano until she reached the bottom. She shook her head, looking down at the hand and swearing under her breath. She exhaled sharply, noticing the end where the wrist had broken off was sparking a bit. She pursed her lips, closing her eyes as she concentrated on analyzing the creature's makeup.

"It isn't flesh, exactly... it's an entirely new composition... perhaps I can reform it..." The Queen spoke lowly, grasping the hand in both of hers as she bit her lip. The spark continued to flicker as something emerged from it, wires and fragments of code slowly extending to rebuild the creature.

Meanwhile, Ralph had been rescued from the volcano by a little girl, the one he had called Vanellope, her raven hair tied up into a ponytail. He sat on the back end of her car, barely any room as she swerved to a stop. They looked back as the remaining mechanical insects were destroyed, the molten stream jutting out from the volcano slowly simmering down.

"Something's wrong!" Ralph shouted.

"What do you mean?" Vanellope asked as the winds picked up.

"The game should be resetting, but it's not!" Ralph said.

"That's because I have to cross the finish line!" Vanellope replied.

"Well let's get a move on then, kid!" Ralph waved his arm towards the race track in the distance.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Vanellope responded, starting the engine and driving towards it.

The Queen exhaled sharply when a pair of eyes opened, the creature laying before her groaning softly as he shifted a bit. He lifted his head, blinking as his vision was restored. When the Queen came into focus, he tilted his head curiously. All her tentacles were retracted under her dress to seem less intimidating. Before speaking, he looked down at himself, noticing that he was no longer glitching between his own and his persona, King Candy's, face. He still had his cybug body, a bit confused by his current state.

"Do not fear, all will be explained to you in good time." The Queen started. "What is your name?"

"It's Turbo... I don't think you're from around here, I've never seen you in the arcade. You from a new game?" Turbo asked.

"Not quite. I am from outside this realm entirely. I have revived you so that you may assist me." The Queen answered.

"Woah, woah, hang on... I thought for sure this was the land of Game Over and you were its angel of death or something. Just what's going on here, lady?" Turbo said as he got to his feet.

"Firstly, you shall address me as 'your highness,' 'your majesty,' 'your grace' or 'your Queen.' For that is what I am, I am the Queen of Hearts." The Queen said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever queenie. I'll have you know I'm the king of racing, so you can take that to the bank. Now I'll need you to get me up to speed because last time I checked I flew face first into the beacon of death. How did I not have a 'game over?'" Turbo asked as he inspected his clawed hands.

The Queen raised a brow; this creature- Turbo, certainly had an odd manner of speaking. She cleared her throat, maintaining her poise. "I already told you. I resurrected you, and removed any obvious weaknesses or malformations from your being. You shall now be more suitable for what I would like you to do."

"Listen, queenie, the only thing I want to do is regain my glory as the best racer ever, got it? And wring that scrawny kid's neck that put me into this situation in the first place!" Turbo exclaimed.

"The only one's neck who will be wrung is yours if you fail to oblige me! I gave you your life and I can just as easily take it away!" The Queen spoke in dual voices, her eyes burning into his.

Turbo blinked, holding his hands up. "Okay, okay, calm down... I don't want to chance a 'game over' again... just tell me what you want me to do so you can go on your merry way."

"If you agree to assist me in destroying my enemies... I shall ensure that you claim the child's life you speak of. I currently maintain a dwelling in my realm which you may stay, and keep the child prisoner there. You shall join my forces and I shall enlighten you on all you need to know." The Queen said.

Turbo blinked. "You talk weird." He remarked.

"I should say the same for you. Now, show me where the child is so I may claim her." The Queen ordered.

Back towards the race track, Ralph hopped off the kart as their friends, Felix and Tamora Calhoun, joined them.

"Let's get this game reset and head back to our games, I'll be home just in time for one of Mary's delicious pies!" Felix exclaimed happily.

"After dealing all of this, I'm thinking of taking up that offer myself." Calhoun remarked. "I'll tell you Wreck-it, you are one crazy son of a gun for what you did. You're nothing short of hero for the sacrifice you made. A true soldier in my eyes."

Ralph smiled lightly. "Thanks, sarge."

Just as they were about to help Vanellope cross the finish line, they all gasped when Turbo came out of nowhere, cackling as he hovered above the finish line for a few moments.

"You're going to have to get through me if you want to reset this game, GLITCH!" He shouted, touching down and standing between Vanellope and the finish line.

"What the- what are YOU still doing here?" Vanellope piped up.

"Now I KNOW I saw you get a game over!" Calhoun shouted. "Felix, Wreck-it, get behind me!" She cried as she took out her gun, shooting at Turbo. She thought she had the upper hand, when she suddenly felt herself being pulled back. She cried out in surprise until she was whirled around, grimacing when she was face to face with the Queen. "You are one ugly son of a-"

"Be careful, Tammy!" Felix shouted in fear.

"Not really helping me, short stack!" She shouted, the Queen scowling angrily before screeching in her face, baring her sharp teeth. She flicked her tentacle aside, sending Calhoun flying like a rag doll as she then moved forward to approach Felix and Ralph. Calhoun landed harshly onto the ground, groaning lightly before passing out from the impact.

"What in mother hubbard is that?! This is like out of one of those horror games!" Ralph exclaimed.

"I don't know, but Tammy is hurt, Ralph!" Felix exclaimed, hopping towards her.

"Hey w- don't leave me here by mys- oh thanks a lot, Felix!" Ralph groaned as he barely moved in time to evade the Queen's tentacles in an attempt to grab him. As he tried to avoid her, he suddenly heard hysterical screaming, gasping when he turned to see Turbo holding Vanellope in his hand. She then glitched out of his grip, trying to run. She finally reached Ralph, clinging to his leg.

"Ralph, what do we do?" She exclaimed frightfully.

The Wrecker glanced around, seeing they were being cornered by the Queen and Turbo. The Queen took out a snow globe, hissing to it before casting it down, a portal appearing behind them.

"You are coming with us, little girl... whether you come with your life intact shall be up to you." The Queen declared.

Vanellope furrowed her brows, biting her lip. She glanced up at Ralph, taking his hand. "Stay perfectly still."

Ralph blinked. "Okay, but can I ask why-"

Vanellope glitched them to the other side of the portal, turning back when Ralph continued to stay perfectly still.

"You can move NOW, stinkbrain!" Vanellope exclaimed.

"Well sorry, I wouldn't mind a little clarification!" Ralph threw his hands up before following her as she ran towards her kart. She hopped in, about to start it when she felt the whole thing being pulled back, looking behind her and widening her eyes when several tentacles wrapped around the vehicle. Vanellope grit her teeth, starting up the kart and pressing the petal to the metal.

"Vanellope!" Ralph cried, moving to help her when suddenly, Turbo pounced at him. He dragged Ralph back before standing between him and Vanellope, separating them.

"That glitch is mine, Ralph!" He growled.

Vanellope whimpered, pressing down on the gas as hard as she could, but the Queen's tentacles just wouldn't let up. Having enough of this tug of war, the Queen grunted as she lifted the kart off the ground, hurling it up and behind her as Vanellope screamed, disappearing into the portal.

"NO!" Ralph cried, reaching out a hand with anxiety.

"We have the girl, let's take our leave!" The Queen hissed, proceeding through the portal as well.

"Sounds good to me!" Turbo replied, making his way through as well.

Ralph gasped, running as fast as he could after Turbo as the portal began to shrink. He took a deep breath, jumping as far forward as he could, diving into the portal right before it closed up completely.

As this all happened, Felix took Calhoun's hand to help her up upon regaining consciousness, just in time to see Ralph jump into the portal. "Tammy, you're alright!" He exclaimed with relief.

The winds died down, Calhoun exhaling sharply as her eyes widened. "Felix, get me my cruiser. We need to locate Ralph and Vanellope."

"A- Alright..." He replied, fetching her the hover board. "What in Sam Hill was that...?"

"I don't know... but I do know that we're in big trouble if we don't find them. This whole damn arcade is." She slung her machine gun over her shoulder, grabbing her scanner to program it.

* * *

Alice burst through the door into the palace back in Arendelle, Pitch striding behind her. Her expression was dead serious, only stopping when Anna noticed her tense stance and gently taking her arm.

"Alice, what's going on?" Anna asked.

"Where is your sister?" Alice asked, ignoring her question.

Anna blinked in surprise. "Sh- She's in the drawing room, but... Jack told me you and Pitch were-"

"Perfect. Gather everyone in the dining hall, quickly!" Alice exclaimed before heading towards the stairs.

Anna looked after Alice, beginning to worry before going on her way to do as Alice requested. In the drawing room, Elsa was writing something on parchment before the door opened, making her jump a bit in surprise and rise from her seat quickly.

Elsa sighed upon seeing who it was. "Alice, you can't just barge into any room you want without permission-"

"We have a serious problem and it needs to be discussed with everyone immediately. I'm setting up a meeting in the dining hall." She said before turning to leave, Pitch barely able to keep up with her.

Elsa was dumbfounded, glancing at him for a moment before striding after Alice, grabbing her wrist to stop her. "I don't know who you think you're talking to but you do NOT tell me what to do in my own-"

"Unless you would like to see every last one of your citizens, your family, and your kingdom burn to smithereens before your very eyes, I suggest you heed my words now. If my behavior wasn't warranted, trust me, Pitch would be the first to scold me." She yanked her arm away from Elsa. "If you don't believe me, ask HIM." She spat before turning to resume walking quickly towards the stairs.

Elsa grit her teeth, about to go after her when a gentle hand stopped her. She glanced over to see Pitch, gasping lightly when he took her hand.

"Elsa... I can't believe I'm saying this, but Alice's intuition has been correct." Pitch sighed, holding her hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze as Elsa stared at him in shock.

When everyone but Eliza and Olaf was gathered in the dining hall, Alice sitting at the one end of the long table, there was total silence filling the room for several moments, heavy tension filling the room. Jack was sitting to Alice's right, slowly reaching out to try to take her hand when he stopped at her inhaling sharply. He retracted the hand, biting his lip a bit. After what seemed like ages, Alice whipped out her vorpal blade, stabbing it into the table and making everyone jump. The action surprised everyone, Eugene emitting a girly squeak before covering his mouth. If the situation wasn't as serious as it was, Rapunzel would have burst into laughter beside him.

"Uh... that wood was imported..." Kristoff said quietly, tugging on his collar a bit.

"That, ladies and gentlemen, is a wakeup call. This is why I have gathered you all here tonight." She stood up, resting her hands on the table as the knife stuck out from where she stabbed it. "So, Pitch and I..." She stopped, glancing over at him and motioning to him with her head to stand up. He sighed, doing so as he rolled his eyes a bit. "... are going to explain to you what we witnessed tonight, and what it means for all of us... some shall be affected more potently by this than others, but as of right now, every last one of you is involved." She nodded to Pitch, who produced a map. Alice laid it out on the table, spreading it out. "Here..." She pointed to the mountain where she and Pitch had been. "There is a vast forest, and a collapsed mountain just outside of its range. This is where they are dwelling; the Queen and her new collective." She took a quill, circling it before folding it so that the one spot showed, throwing it in Elsa's direction to it plopped down in front of her. Everyone craned their necks to look at it as Alice inhaled deeply. "Many of you have been wondering why I've been... tense... on edge..." She held her hands out to show them all that they were trembling. "... now you shall learn, in explicit detail, why." Her eyes became a bit crazed as she looked at them all. "It's because not only is the Queen alive, and well... but because she's gathered a whole bloody collective to come straight here and send us straight to hell's gates!" She shrieked, grabbing the handle of her blade an yanking it out of the table. "Perhaps now you will all take me seriously, and listen to our testimony! Does anyone object?!"

The room fell silent, no one daring to utter a sound. Alice nodded firmly, sheathing her blade back on her person.

Pitch cleared his throat after some time, daring to break the silence. "If I may, I'd like to start." When Alice nodded, he took in a breath. "I speak in particular to the guardians who are present; the rest of you won't know whom I speak of. An old enemy of yours has come to rise again."

"Old enemy? Who is that?" Jack asked.

"The Monkey King, and his minions, were seen at the location Alice marked on the map." Pitch said.

Bunny and Sandy's eyes widened. "That's impossible, mate. That heartless bloke died centuries ago after the battle at Tooth's Palace."

"Well it would seem he made a miraculous recovery... you could recognize his incessant shouting from miles away." Pitch said.

Sandy grit his teeth angrily; the Monkey King had stopped nothing during his life to hunt down Tooth and her family, and was not going to let him succeed this time, especially since he and Tooth proclaimed their love to one another months ago.

"Well... being we don't really know this... Monkey King... maybe they won't attack Arendelle so soon, right?" Anna asked. "It could buy us some time before the Queen tells them to come here..."

"I would consider that a possibility if not for a certain former boyfriend of yours being present there as well; he's obviously still unhappy with your little break up." Alice commented.

Anna's eyes widened then, standing up. "What? You don't mean Hans, do you?"

"The very same... and he seems to be the Queen's new pet, last I saw he was conjuring fire with his bare hands..." Alice answered.

Anna's mouth was agape, slowly sinking back into her chair as Kristoff placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"That man deceived my sister and I and tried to overthrow us both." Elsa spoke after a few moments, looking over at Alice. "I... I'm sorry for doubting you. I didn't think the Queen of Hearts would... would go this far..."

"You should know by now that you and I are her primary targets. She is going to do all that she can to ensure both our demises. She is capable of anything as long as she is still breathing." Alice said, looking upon all of them. "There is a third, some sort of fire creature, that we know nothing about, but it seems that it would be able to hold its own in a fight as far as appearances go."

Sandy was still feeling quite bitter about the fact that the Monkey King had returned, wanting to march right up to him and give him a good sucker punch. He glanced over at the map, taking it after everyone was finished looking at it to scan it over. He tilted his head, his eyes widening for a moment as realization of something hit him. He placed the map down, silently clearing his throat before tapping Bunny's arm.

"So what do we do at this point?" Jack asked. "I mean, should we just go over there and try to nip this in the bud?"

"Elsa and I certainly need to hide somewhere; the Queen's primary focus is on the two of us. There is a forest near the mountain that would be the most optimal location. However, getting inside, as Pitch and I experienced, will prove quite difficult. If we can find a way to find solace in the woods there, it can offer us protection, take primary attention off of Arendelle and North's workshop, and allow us to be close enough to somewhat monitor their movements." Alice said.

Sandy and Bunny had been communicating quietly during all this, the dream guardian floating up and waving his hands at Alice, pointing at himself with a light bulb above his head.

"You have something to offer, Sandy?" Alice asked.

Sandy nodded, forming a picture of a group of trees above his head followed by a door opening and closing.

"Do you know a way inside this forest? Are you familiar with the area?" Alice asked.

Sandy nodded again, smiling as he held up the map in one hand, giving her a thumbs up with the other.

Alice raised her brows at this. "Perfect. Now to decide who remains here and who shall join Elsa and I to go to the forest in the States. Some should remain here in Arendelle to assist in defending the city from any potential attacks, while still allowing enough of us to make a decent offensive force." She tapped her chin, glancing around the table. "Eugene..."

At the sound of his name being called, he groaned, running a hand through his hair anxiously. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"... you shall remain here with Rapunzel, Merida, Hiccup and Toothless, Anna, and Kristoff." Alice said. "You shall watch over Eliza and this kingdom to keep both safe and secure."

"Oh thank the sweet skies above..." Eugene breathed, Rapunzel patting his back comfortingly.

Alice rolled her eyes. "The remainder of you; Jack, Bunny, Sandy, Elsa, and Pitch shall join me in venturing to the States and-"

Sandy waved his hands then, getting Alice's attention to make her stop. When she looked at him, she furrowed a brow in surprise when she saw words appearing in front of her in a purple, sandy texture. In Wonderland, she had the ability to see hidden pathways and signs upon drinking a magical purple potion. Sandy began to communicate to her with these floating words, those only she could see.

"Uh... are we having a staring contest?" Bunny asked.

Alice ignored him, glancing over at Pitch for a moment as the words dissipated from her view.

'Whatever the reason you feel Pitch should not come along may be...' Alice spoke mentally to Sandy. '... there is no doubt the Queen maintains him as a primary target as well. Keeping him here will increase the chances of her causing harm to Arendelle. He is also skilled in combat, and is somewhat familiar with the Queen's fighting tactics. If it becomes an issue, we can have him relocated.'

Though Pitch could not hear nor sense what Alice and Sandy were communicating to each other, Alice's brief glance at him made him a bit suspicious of him being the subject of their silent conversation. Sandy bit his lip, nodding uneasily as he slowly sat back down. Alice straightened up, looking to everyone. "Alright, does everyone understand their roles in this plan?"

"If any scallywags come here, I'll gut them before they can even shout 'blarney!'" Merida smirked.

"Guess we'll have to put our wedding plans on hold..." Hiccup muttered, Merida gently bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Alright then. Those of you coming with me, gather your things and meet me in the foyer." Alice said, turning to head towards the stairs with Jack following close behind. She stopped when Elsa took her arm a bit more gently this time to get to her attention.

"Alice... thank you... for helping to protect my family. I'm sorry I've been hostile towards you in the past... I have a difficult time trusting others." Elsa said.

"Understandably so. However, if we're going to be working together, we have to learn to settle our differences for the sake of those we care about... and ourselves. I'm going to bid farewell to Eliza, Jack and I will return shortly." Alice replied before continuing up the stairs with Jack.

Eliza was in her room, playing a little game with Olaf when Alice and Jack entered. She stood, smiling and going up to them. "Are you finished with your meeting, Alice?" Eliza asked.

"Yes, love, I am..." Alice sighed lightly, she and Jack sitting down beside her on the edge of her bed as Olaf smiled and waved at them. "... it seems that Pitch and I have spotted danger arising once again from afar."

Eliza's smile faded, looking to them with worry. "Is it the Queen?"

"Yeah..." Jack said. "I'm sorry Eliza, but... Alice and I have a job to do. We have to protect you and everyone in the kingdom."

"... you have to leave, don't you?" Eliza asked sadly.

"Yes... we must leave. You will remain here with Merida, Hiccup, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel and Eugene... and Olaf, of course." Alice gave the snowman a nod.

"Aww it's okay Eliza, we can still play games and have fun!" Olaf chirped, lightly patting Eliza's arm with his stick hand.

"I'm going to miss you..." Eliza bit her lip, joining Alice and Jack in a group hug.

"We're going to miss you too." Jack said. "I promise, Alice and I will come back as soon as we can. We just want to keep you safe."

"I know... I'm just scared for you." Eliza said.

"Scared for US? Come on, Alice and I are unstoppable." Jack smirked, trying to lift the girl's spirits as she giggled lightly. He ruffled her hair as Alice kissed her forehead, the two saying one final goodbye before taking their leave.

As they headed down the stairs, Jack glanced over at Alice, who wore a somber expression. He took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. Alice sighed, coiling an arm around Jack as he hugged her shoulders, comforting each other as they went to meet up with the others.

* * *

The Queen and Turbo arrived back at the mountain, Turbo trying to get a good grip on Vanellope. She kept glitching herself away, her kart somewhere off to the side. When she attempted to run, she gasped as monkey minions ran towards her, screeching and shouting in an intimidating fashion. Seeing nowhere to even escape to, Vanellope whimpered lightly as she found herself surrounded, some jabbing their spears and swords towards her. Maharaja laughed mockingly at this.

"Khöörkhiilöltei baga züil! Ter nas barsan ilüü amid ilüü sonirkholtoi baina!" Maharaja said amusingly before laughing again.

"If anyone shall kill her, it shall be our newest member to our cause... this is Turbo; he shall be assisting us in defeating our enemies. Once this is done, he shall be free to do what he wishes with the child." The Queen said.

Vanellope furrowed her brows, looking at the Queen. "I don't even know you, you big dumb head! What the heck did I do to you?"

The Queen grit her teeth, growling as she lunged forward to shove Vanellope back. "You insolent little girl, you will not speak out of turn!"

Turbo raised a brow, smirking. "Huh. This chick isn't half bad."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" A voice shouted from behind suddenly, Ralph charging forward towards Vanellope. "Stay away from her!"

"R- Ralph?! How in the heck did HE get here?!" Turbo exclaimed.

"He must have snuck in after us through the portal; seize him!" The Queen shouted.

As Ralph ran towards Vanellope, minions lunged forward to stop him, using their spears and newly forged swords. Ralph grit his teeth, crying out as he reared his fist back to send them flying in every direction, bowling through them line pins. He was within a few yards from getting to Vanellope when he was shoved hard from the side, falling over in a heap. He shook his head, barely having a moment to recuperate before Maharaja tackled him. Ralph furrowed a brow, not expecting to face someone with almost as much brute strength as himself. When he heard Vanellope screaming, one of the minions chuckling as he poked her with its spear, this enraged Ralph, growling as he shoved Maharaja off of him to run to her.

"Kid, we've got to get out of here or we're going to 'game over' for sure!" Ralph exclaimed.

"There's nowhere to go!" Vanellope cried.

Ralph looked up, pointing towards the top of the incline inside the mountain. "Up there! Hurry!" Ralph shouted.

Vanellope glitched them both to the top just when Turbo was about to snatch them up, gritting his teeth angrily. "I'm going to rip the code out of that glitch!"

"Ralph, my kart! We have to get my kart back!" Vanellope exclaimed.

"Have you lost your marbles?! We've gotta start running, now!" Ralph shouted, scooping her up as he made a run for it.

"But Ralph, we made that kart together, there's no others like it!" Vanellope whined.

"Okay, Vanellope..." Ralph started as he was running, minions right on their tail as they chased after them. "... I appreciate that you cherish our friendship that much, but we're dealing with something a LITTLE more urgent right now!"

Vanellope bit her lip, gasping when she saw a forest up ahead. "Hey Ralph, maybe we can lose them in there!" She pointed.

"I really hope you're right, kid!" Ralph answered.

"Tedniig avakh! Khol avch tedniig büü olgo!" Maharaja shouted, pointing his sword towards Vanellope and Ralph.

Ralph took one last glance behind him, about to run into the trees when he stopped short. Thick vines covered in thorns blocked their way, not allowing them to pass.

"Well, this is just perfect!" Ralph exclaimed as the minions were nearly upon them.

"Ralph, we've got nowhere to go!" Vanellope screamed.

"W- Wait a second...! Kid, can you glitch us in?" Ralph asked.

"I can try!" Vanellope replied, closing her eyes tight just as the minions were about to reach them, the two disappearing instantly. The front most minions had to skip to a stop, some running right into the thorns and screaming in pain as they were pierced. Maharaja cried out angrily, Turbo stomping the ground angrily.

"Boy would I give to make that glitch road kill!" Turbo growled.

The Queen stepped forward from behind him, narrowing her eyes. "The child was able to teleport into the forest somehow..." The Queen pursed her lips, taking out one of the snow globes. She smirked lightly, keeping this idea to herself as she tucked the object back into her dress.

"Fear not, Turbo... within that forest exists another enemy of ours, the nemesis of the Phoenix, it is this very mountain he governs. We shall make sure both perish equally harsh deaths. Come, let us return and get you settled in." The Queen said.

Turbo grumbled with frustration, following her along with Maharaja and his minions. He didn't know anything yet about the group he was with, but from what he had seen, if anyone was going to help him get Vanellope out of his way once and for all, they would be his best bet to help him achieve that goal.

* * *

 **Oh dear! Will Ralph and Vanellope be able to survive in the dangerous and perilous forest? Speaking of which, what could Sandy know about the forest, and what is driving him to be wary of Pitch; does it go just beyond the fact that they were past enemies? I'm sure you all have many other questions at this point, so please take some time to leave some of your thoughts in a review! Thank you again for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	8. Disturbing Bitter Solitude

**Good evening, readers! I hope you enjoyed Ralph and Vanellope's introduction into this series, and are anticipating to see how they will fit in! I assure you, they will have a significant role in this story, so keep on reading! I will be introducing another character in this chapter, so I hope you're ready! Please sit back and relax, and remember to enjoy as always!**

* * *

Alice, Jack, Bunny, Sandy, Elsa and Pitch arrived not far outside the forest, having used a snow globe to travel by. Sandy glanced back at Pitch uneasily before proceeding to the front of the small group. Pitch leaned towards Alice as they began to travel the rest of the way by foot.

"Is there a specific reason Sandy is acting suspiciously around me?" Pitch whispered.

"I'm not sure of the explicit details... I'm sure it will come to reveal itself in time." Alice replied.

Bunny walked on the other side of Jack, leaning in to whisper to him. "I'm with Sandy, mate. I don't completely trust those two." He motioned his head towards Elsa and Pitch. "I don't think she's evil per se, but she's gonna do whatever that bloke tells her to do. He's had history with that monstrosity of a woman... if you can call the bloody Queen that."

After some time, they arrived at the edge of the forest; from what they could see, there was a dark, ominous force emanating from within the trees. All was still, silent- too silent. Sandy held up a hand, narrowing his eyes a bit as he proceeded forward.

"I hope he knows what he's doing... Alice and I were assaulted when we came by here before." Pitch said.

"Huh... guess whoever lives here doesn't like visitors." Jack said.

Sandy slowed to a stop when the vines returned, sprouting from the ground and forming a barrier. Sandy formed his ropes, whipping them out to separate the vines. As he did this, more and more grew to replace them, thorns threatening to puncture anyone who came near. After some time passed, the vines finally gave way.

"Seems like his persistence paid off." Elsa remarked.

Sandy was about to float forward when suddenly, a great wind picked up as a small whirlwind sent leaves and twigs spinning. The whirlwind dissipated when a being appeared before him; a woman with hair as black as night, her eyes aglow like stars with large pupils like black holes baring into the dream guardian's. Her translucent green dress rippled like waves in the high winds, holding herself proudly as she floated several inches off the ground to confront Sandy.

"You dare to enter into my domain without my consent?!" She shouted, her voice deep like thunder rumbling in the sky. "None may enter here, save those that I allow; this is my domain and mine alone!"

Sandy narrowed his eyes, conjuring two more sand ropes and holding them firmly. The others stood in the background, having a hard time seeing what was happening.

"What is he doing?!" Bunny shouted above the winds.

"I have no idea, but he seems to not be too worried!" Jack shouted back.

Just when it seemed that all hell was going to break loose, the winds died down, the female being continuing to stare intensely at Sandy. Surprisingly, Sandy slowly smirked a bit, retracting his ropes before bursting out in silent laughter. The woman's expression softened, she too beginning to laugh. As the others approached, Bunny's eyes widened before looking to Pitch.

"Oh, you can't be serious..." Bunny muttered.

"My dear Sandy... how dare you come here after not seeing me for so long! You know that I would welcome none but you with open arms." Her form changed as the atmosphere calmed, her dark hair melting into a light green, her eyes becoming a bright yellow hue. She bent down to hold Sandy to her, the two sharing a warm hug.

Jack stared on in utter confusion, he and Alice exchanging bewildered glances. After some time, Sandy realized he had some explaining to do, breaking the hug gently to silently clear his throat. He communicated with the being, biting his lip and exhaling deeply. The being narrowed her eyes a bit, her expression wary as she looked behind him, seeing the others.

"You've brought the King of Nightmares here... as an ally?" She asked, Sandy nodding in response. "Very well. Bring them forth. Any friends of yours are welcome... any enemies of yours shall suffer me."

Elsa noticed Pitch had not moved a muscle in the last few moments, holding his hand. "Pitch? Is everything alright?"

"Bunny, what's going on? Do you know her? How does Sandy know her? Who is that?" Jack interrogated the Easter guardian.

"Emily...?" Pitch breathed barely above a whisper, everyone quieting down a bit as he took a step forward slowly. "My... Emily Jane...?"

The being looked to Pitch upon him uttering the name, narrowing her eyes as she floated forth a bit. "It's been a long time... father."

Jack gasped lightly, looking at Alice with widened eyes. "Alice, that's her..." He whispered. "... she's Pitch's daughter..."

"It would seem so." Alice replied, glancing between the two.

"Well, isn't this lovely, the world is in peril and here we are having another awkward family reunion!" Bunny threw his hands up.

"Lovely to see you're just as uptight as I last recall, Bunnymund." Emily said in response, exhaling slowly. "We are all too exposed out here, we shall discuss more when we're inside."

Everyone followed her and Sandy into the forest, all of them noticing that as they ventured deeper, the dark and ominous aura from earlier began to melt into something more pleasant and bright. Having been silent through all of this, Elsa looked around in awe at the magnificence this forest contained within it. They finally reached a tree larger than the others; at its base, the roots formed a basin at the foot of a throne made of thick vines and branches adorned with beautiful flowers. Emily stepped into the basin, her feet remaining inside the shallow pool as she sat upon her throne.

"Quite obviously, I know who you are already." Emily started, waving her hand towards Pitch, Sandy and Bunny. "However, I am not so familiar with you three. Step forth and identify yourselves; as well as your place in this gathering."

Jack cleared his throat, stepping forward first. "My name is Jack Frost…" He started.

"Ah… yes, I remember now… you are the reason behind many of my delayed springs." Emily grimaced lightly. "That was one thing I did relate to with Bunnymund…"

"Thanks, Em." Bunny rolled his eyes.

Jack chuckled nervously, shrugging a bit. "Sorry…"

Emily sighed lightly, waving her hand. "Very well, continue."

Jack shifted the weight on his feet a bit. "Okay, um… so the reason I'm here is because I'm going to be helping my fellow guardians defend ourselves and our friends against-"

"Hold on a moment…" Emily raised a brow. "You, Jack Frost… are a guardian?"

"Uh… yeah… yeah, I am…" Jack replied.

"Hm… an intriguing decision the moon made in choosing you to stand among the guardians." Emily remarked, before looking over at Alice. "You may speak now."

Jack blinked. "Okay, I guess I'm done then-"

"If it pleases you m'am, my name is Alice Liddell. I too have been recently chosen to be a guardian… it is my nemesis who is raising an army against us, and it is she who I seek to destroy." Alice answered.

"My, have I been in isolation for so long that I have missed so much? The moon must be in dire need for some new blood to join his league. Sandy shall have to provide me with explicit details about you both." Emily said before glancing over at Elsa. "And who might you be? Dare I say you also are a newly chosen guardian?"

Elsa inhaled sharply, standing up straight. She definitely saw a resemblance to Pitch in her personality, how she held herself to a high standard. She also could see that like Pitch, was very powerful; if she dared to think, possibly even more powerful than he.

"No, I'm not a guardian..." Elsa started.

"Intriguing. State your name and why you think you should be among them, then? What are your talents?" Emily asked.

"My name is Elsa... I am queen of the kingdom of Arendelle, a land far from here." Elsa replied.

Emily narrowed her eyes. "A human... I'm interested to know why you feel that you, a mortal, think you deserve to have a place among us, we who have far more power and greatness than you."

Elsa began to feel uneasy, Jack about to interject when Pitch held out an arm to stop him, shaking his head. "Well... you see... I have been accepted among the guardians as an acquaintance... a- and I'm also-"

"What strategic advantage do you offer with your presence here? What reason do they have for you to come?" Emily interrupted.

"She has ice powers like I do." Jack spoke up, not caring that Pitch was hissing at him to quiet down. Emily shot a glare at Jack.

"You shall not speak out of turn! I question the mortal, not you." Emily spat, looking back at Elsa. "Speak now." She commanded. "You may be the highest authority of your land, Elsa... but here, you are not so. If you have a talent, as Jack has just now claimed, display it for my eyes to judge."

Elsa took a deep breath, nodding as she took a few steps back. Emily tilted her head as Elsa whirled her hand, forming mild snow flurries and conjuring ice spikes to slowly rise from the ground. The forest sprite tapped her chin, raising a brow.

"Well... this certainly is different. A mortal queen with elemental powers... I am still confused with one thing, however." Emily rose, descending from her throne. "How did you come to know the guardians in the first place, I wonder?"

"I didn't... really know them at first, exactly... I met Pitch first..." Elsa answered, finding it difficult to keep eye contact with Emily.

"Is that so? So my father came to you, first? I'm still curious to know why all of a sudden that my father, the guardians' greatest enemy, now stands with them as an ally. Is that your doing?" Emily asked.

"Yes, and no... we all share a common set of enemies... ones we are trying to deal with now. It's why we came here." Elsa replied.

Emily extending a hand, taking Elsa by surprise as she lifted her face, examining her features. Her eyes slowly rested on Pitch, standing off to the side. "Tell me, father... is there a reason she is so devoted to you? Upon entering my domain I observed her remaining quite close to your side, and you to hers. Explain this to me."

"Oh boy..." Bunny groaned lightly, rubbing his forehead.

"What in the heck is happening right now?" Jack asked him quietly.

"Let's just say that Em's got some serious 'daddy' issues..." Bunny whispered back.

Pitch cleared his throat, stepping forward. "Emily... Elsa has helped me to remember my true past. She and I... have sworn ourselves to one another."

Emily smiled warmly then, but if one looked closely, they could see it was forced, a degree of sarcasm to it. "Really? Isn't that wonderful?" She chuckled lightly. "So you think that you can simply replace my beautiful mother... whose divinity could not even fathom to be reached by any in the universe, with this lowly mortal?!" Everyone jumped when a sudden crack of lightening shot through the sky, lighting up the whole area for a moment.

Pitch stiffened his spine, furrowing his brows. "Emily... I grieved when I remembered you and your mother... I will always love her, but she wants nothing more than for both of us to be happy-"

"Do not speak of what she wants!" Emily snapped. "You needed the help of an underling to remember your precious love, your one daughter deprived of the parental love she so deserved?! You dare bring such a creature here?!"

Pitch exhaled sharply, grasping at the air for anything to say to try to ease his daughter. "Emily please, I-"

"The only reason I do not destroy her now is because I made a promise to welcome any who Sandy shall welcome. You nor she shall not remain in my company, you may settle in the dark province of the forest where I shall not have the displeasure of seeing either of you!" She screamed, whirling around to return to her throne. "I have spoken my wants, go now and obey my word!"

Sandy tugged on his collar nervously, waving his hand at the others to give Emily some space; for both hers as well as their sakes. Elsa's feet were planted to the ground in shock until Pitch drew an arm around her, gently and quietly leading her away as he himself tried to maintain his composure. The dream guardian floated over to Emily, sitting near her throne as she shut her eyes tightly.

"Man... I've never seen anyone make Pitch run off with his tail between his legs like that." Jack said to Bunny as the two of them and Alice went off to their own space to settle in.

"That's Em for you... as I've told others before, she's not always a benevolent soul, and she's very unpredictable. After her mom died and Pitch was turned... I mean, I didn't know her then of course... but from what I heard she was a pretty happy kid before all that happened." Bunny said.

"Perhaps she could have used a guardian then..." Alice remarked, sighing lightly as she rested her back against a tree. "This just made things more complicated than they already had to be."

"Let's just get situated here and then we can figure out what we're going to do in the morning. It's getting late." Jack said.

Meanwhile, Elsa watched Pitch as he made a small shelter for them easily; going inside once he was finished and sitting quietly. She hugged her knees, glancing up at him when he took a seat beside her. Pitch took her hand in his, kissing it lightly.

"I apologize for her hostility." He started. "She has resented me for many years. I don't know why I thought she would act differently... I was stupid to hope for any other outcome."

Elsa rested her head against his shoulder, Pitch hugging her shoulders with his left arm. "No you weren't... it's just... I know what it's like to feel like... no one understands. You want everyone to stay away but at the same time, deep down, you wish it could be different. Besides... it's my fault she acted that way. I should have never come here."

"Elsa, I'm not going to leave you vulnerable just because Emily does not approve of you. I will always care for Emily. But you... you made me remember what love feels like. I'm not going to leave you alone." Pitch said.

Elsa smiled softly, sighing lightly as she closed her eyes. Pitch held her close, the darkness enveloping them both as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

After having caught their breath, Ralph gently scooped up Vanellope to place on his shoulder; they both looked around, the ominous atmosphere of the forest seeming to loom over them like the countless number of trees standing tall.

"I don't like these woods..." Vanellope said quietly. "It's not like the Candy Cane forest back in Sugar Rush..."

Ralph sighed then. "I hope everyone is okay back there... who knows if we can even go back." He took a step forward. "I wonder if there's anyone even here..."

"Or any THING... the last thing we need is to run into more monsters..." Vanellope added.

"Come on, you're saying that with a guy who has these?" He held his large fists up, smirking. "I'm probably the scariest thing in this fores- AHH!" A flock of birds took to flight suddenly when he stepped on a twig, all of them having startled him as they ascended into the tree tops. They perched above, seeming to stare at the two arcade characters below.

"You were saying?" Vanellope asked flatly.

"Oh, st- I was not scared! They just surprised me is all... at least I'm not like Felix, he's scared to 'game over' of ducks!" Ralph exclaimed.

Vanellope giggled lightly, patting his shoulder lightly. "Ralph, I'm glad I'm not alone. I don't care what anyone says, a bad guy wouldn't have done all that to try to protect me."

Ralph smiled lightly at her, sighing a bit. The moment was broken when suddenly, Ralph cried out in surprise when he felt something wrapping around his feet. He tried to break free, but the sudden vines emerging from the ground wrapped tightly around him, keeping him in place. Vanellope gasped, vines extending from the trees to grab hold of her, pinning her to the nearest tree branch.

"Vanellope!" Ralph exclaimed. "O- Okay, just... just stay calm, I'm gonna get you out of there!"

"Ralph, it's getting too tight!" Vanellope strained, furrowing her brows as she wheezed.

The wrecker gritted his teeth, reaching down to try and rip the vines out of the ground. As he did so, they began to wrap around his hands, making it more difficult for him to move. He glanced up at Vanellope, mustering all his strength as he knew time was running short.

Meanwhile, Sandy was still sitting near Emily, her head bowed lightly. "Why did you bring this pain upon me, Sandy? I buried the old soil long ago and replaced it with new Earth... must you dig up the clay again? Am I not a friend?"

Sandy sighed inaudibly, forming sand pictures to show that despite their history, Pitch needed to be here as well as Elsa.

"You must enlighten me of these foes that everyone is fussing about. They must pose a great threat if it would drive you and my father, once complete opposing forces, to work in unison." Emily said.

Sandy nodded, floating over to the pool of water Emily's toes were dipped in. He waved his hand over it, the water taking on a golden hue as he moved his hands in a circular motion, drawing some to separate from the tree's basin to form it into a floating sphere, almost like a crystal ball. He then rested his hands on his sides, still floating as Emily leaned forward, looking into the floating sphere to see visions concerning their enemies. Sandy showed her all that had occurred during the battles in London, how Pitch had joined their side in the end with Elsa, before looking deeper into the Queen's past and her connection to Alice. The sphere began to take on a red hue, flames erupting from it as the Queen's echoing voice began a chaotic chorus of screaming, hissing and growling. Emily's eyes widened, Sandy biting his lip tensely as the visions branched out, showing quick flashes of Hans, the Monkey King, and Turbo. When the Phoenix suddenly appeared within the sphere, its cry echoing and making the water ripple like flames, Emily gasped, jumping to her feet as she waved her hand. The sphere became ordinary water again, falling into the pool below with a small splash. The pool steamed with heated vapor as the original golden glow from Sandy diminished. Emily sat back down upon her throne slowly, her eyes widened as she breathed a bit deeply.

"I had sensed a stirring within the mountain but had dismissed it as nothing to fear... this enemy of yours, this... Queen... has awakened it from dormancy. I trapped it in the mountain long ago upon claiming this land..." Emily breathed.

Sandy floated over to Emily, placing a gentle hand on her arm as he looked into her eyes regrettably.

"It would seem that their uprising affects all of us." Emily closed her eyes tightly. "Very well... I shall submit this once; this one time I shall break my vow of neutrality in order to assist you. Only for you, my dear Sandy, and for the sake of maintaining my sanctuary. You have conveyed enough of your enemies for me to know them decently. I shall keep them in my mind until their potency is gone. I need time now to reflect upon what you have showed me."

Sandy gave her a nod, about to float over to the others when he thought he heard a sound in the distance. He turned, narrowing his eyes.

Alice couldn't hold back a small fit of giggles, playfully pushing Jack's forehead back with a finger.

"Jack Frost, if you don't stop that I will be very cross with you!" Alice exclaimed.

"Come on, after everything we've been through, we could use a little fun. You know how I love to tickle you like this." Jack leaned in again despite Alice's protests, hugging her from the side as traced his lips along her jawline. She jumped, the cold sensations making goose bumps rise on her skin.

"Oh for goodness sakes, Jack!" Alice exclaimed, muffling her laughter as she covered her mouth with her hand.

Bunny rolled his eyes as he leaned up against a tree, rolling his eyes. "Oi, we didn't build this shack here for nothing! Get a room already!"

Alice shrugged out of Jack's embrace at that point, rolling her eyes. "Bunny is right Jack, this is a vulgar display of affection."

"Vulgar? Alice, the time I came from, I would play pranks on teenagers making out in the middle of the street by freezing their feet to the ground. I wouldn't call some innocent tickling vulgar." Jack chuckled. Before anyone could say anything else, Sandy approached the group then, getting their attention. "Sandy, what's the matter?" Jack asked.

Sandy glanced at Alice, the two staring at each other for a few moments as they communicated telepathically. She saw the words again, nodding as they disappeared from her view. "Jack, Bunny, Sandy thinks he heard something unusual deeper in the forest. Let's go inspect what it is."

Jack looked between the two of them in absolute confusion. "Woah woah woah, how did you get that from- am I missing something here?"

"Come Jack, no dawdling!" Alice called, following behind Sandy.

"What's the matter, Jack?" Bunny smirked, elbowing him. "Afraid they might be exchanging mental love poems?"

Jack stared at him flatly, reaching back to yank out one of Bunny's tail hairs. The large rabbit howled, hissing as he held his backside. "Come on, it's just starting to grow back, you bloody dingo!" He shouted as he and Jack moved forward to catch up to the other two.

As Sandy kept his ears open, Alice unsheathing her vorpal blade beside him, the sounds of an apparent struggle became louder. He then gasped lightly as he saw something in the nearer distance, his eyes widening as he floated faster over to where the activity was originating from.

"Vanellope! Stay away from her!" Ralph shouted, the child having passed out from suffocation as a Venus flytrap like creature emerged in the tree she was pinned up against, opening its mouth as it neared her. Ralph cried out in anguish, trying to reach out a hand, but the vines coiled tightly around him preventing him from even mustering to do that.

Just when Ralph thought it was game over for the two of them, he gasped when golden sand ropes whipped at the vines from behind him, either tearing them out or making them retreat back into the trees and the ground. Jack waved his staff to freeze other vines, Bunny then breaking them upon sending out his boomerangs. Alice ran up to Ralph, who widened his eyes as she cut him loose with her blade.

"Are you alright?" She asked quickly.

"Y- Yeah, but Vanellope, my friend-!" Ralph pointed up into the tree, Alice glancing up before ascending into the air to get to her. Ralph watched in awe as she slashed at the vines, collecting Vanellope with one arm before touching back down to the ground. "Kid! Oh no... come on, wake up!" Ralph cried.

When the Venus fly trap creature finally retreated, the forest still once more, the others joined Alice, Ralph and Vanellope as the wrecker tried what he could to awaken the child. He held her to him, trying to pat her back as gently as possible until finally, she gasped for air. Ralph sighed with relief as Vanellope came to, her eyes darting around as she took in her surroundings.

"R- Ralph, what the heck happened?!" She exclaimed.

"I don't know, kid, but these guys helped us... and girl." Ralph cleared his throat, standing to his feet as he looked around at the small group.

"Well, I think introductions are in order, especially after that ordeal." Alice said. "My name is Alice Liddell, and these are my fellow friends and guardians, Jack Frost, Bunnymund, and Sandy."

Sandy smiled and waved, forming a small hat on his head that he tipped at them. Bunny smiled and gave a nod, and Jack gave a small wave.

"Man... this is a really weird game we're in..." Vanellope commented.

"Hey, uh, nice to meet you guys, thanks for um... saving our lives and everything. I'm Ralph, just... Ralph... and this is Vanellope. We're from the arcade, my game is Fix-it-Felix, her game is Sugar Rush... not sure what game this is but it is HUGE and SCARY." Ralph commented.

"I'm sorry, I'm not quite following you... we're not out here playing a game, Ralph... we're in danger, very grave danger... perhaps it's best you found us." Alice crossed her arms.

"Woah, hang on a second." Bunny held up a hand. "I thought you guys looked familiar... you're from that one arcade right down the street from a park they have an Easter egg hunt every year, all the little ankle biters would go there afterwards with all the quarters they got... man, I lost count of how many would brag about using quarters they got from Tooth to play those things..."

"Okay..." Jack said, shaking his head. "So you're telling me, that these two-" He pointed to Ralph and Vanellope. "- are from some VIDEO GAME?!"

"I'm sorry, could you both please explain what on Earth you're talking about?" Alice asked.

"This is way after your time, Alice... I'll explain later." Jack replied. "So what are you both doing here, in the real world, in the 1800s?" Jack asked them.

"Look pal, we have no idea where we are. We should be the one asking you all the questions!" Vanellope protested.

"How did you even get here in the first place?" Bunny asked.

"I'm not really sure how to explain it. See, we were fighting off some cybugs and Turbo- King Candy- some guy who became a REALLY big cybug after one ate him-... our friends Calhoun and Felix were helping us when suddenly this OTHER monster thing came out of nowhere and attacked Calhoun! She was like something out of one of those really creepy horror games!" Ralph exclaimed. "She had these huge hands and sharp teeth, and the wore this big poofy red dress and had all these weird tentacles that were-"

"Wait just a moment!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Did this creature have short, dark hair? Red and green eyes? Did she don a floating crown?"

Ralph thought for a moment, nodding. "Yeah... she talked really weird too, like two people talking at once, almost..."

Alice exhaled sharply, glancing over at the others uneasily. "Well Bunny, I think that just answered your question..."

"Do you know what that thing was?" Vanellope asked. "She still has my kart, if she messes it up I will NOT be happy."

Alice cleared her throat, turning back to Ralph and Vanellope. "You both need to come with us, now. We all have some catching up to do with each other."

"Just as long as there's nothing else in this place that's gonna try to kill us..." Ralph said.

"Oh, there's plenty of that, mate. Difference is, we've got your back now." Bunny said as he pat Ralph's shoulder. "We'll take care of you and that little ankle-biter."

"Hey, I don't bite ankles!" Vanellope pouted.

"Hey, don't be sour, it's just an expression." Bunny laughed.

"Oh... I guess it's better than being called a glitch all the time..." Vanellope replied.

Emily exhaled slowly, opening her eyes when she allowed the visions Sandy had shown her to flow freely through her mind like a swift river. She heard the approaching voices of the group, one of her leaf- like ears flickering when she heard a couple of unfamiliar voices. She hissed lightly, speedily rising from her throne and taking to the air.

"Hang on... so this... Queen of Hearts lady... is raising an army, with Turbo included, to try to give you guys a 'game over?'" Ralph asked.

"What a nutty bar!" Vanellope piped.

"I'm still reeling over the fact that King Candy has been Turbo in disguise for over a decade, now you expect me to take in the face that he's a part of some huge final boss group or something?" Ralph groaned.

"None of us are happy about it, trust me... from what you told us about him, he sounds just as much of a horror as the Queen." Jack commented.

"Birds of a feather flock together..." Alice commented, sighing as they approached their setup.

They were a few yards away when Emily appeared before them, touching down as her hair and eyes became darkened once more. She extended a hand towards Ralph and Vanellope, vines emerging from the ground to seize them.

"Oh come on, not this again!" Ralph groaned.

"Emily, stop!" Jack shouted. "They're not here to hurt anyone!"

"You do not command me, Jack Frost!" Emily shouted in dual voices as a thunder crack burst in the sky, illuminating the entire area for a moment. Winds picked up as her anger did. "How dare you enter my domain without my consent?! You shall perish for your folly!"

Sandy panicked, flying to Emily and taking her hand, trying to calm her. He bit his lip, bracing for retaliation from her of some form- alas, none came, the winds dying down instead. He opened his eyes to see her calming, sighing with relief. He floated in front of her, holding up his hands as he explained to her that they were Turbo's victims.

"Sandy, consider yourself lucky that I hold you dear to your heart... my patience is wearing thin. I do not appreciate all these strangers in my midst." Emily said. "I shall determine their true position."

* * *

 **Well, it seems that Emily is NOT used to having people over all too often! What have Ralph and Vanellope gotten themselves into? Will Emily accept them? More answers to come in future chapters! Thank you for reading and stay tuned for updates!**


	9. Shaky Initial Interactions

**Greetings, readers! Back with a new chapter, to which I will say we will be hopping a bot all over the place here; fear not, this story will pick up the pace in later chapters, but we'll be focusing in on some aspects a bit closer for now to build up the plot. Regardless, I hope you enjoy and keep reading on!**

* * *

They all followed Emily uneasily, Vanellope sticking close to Ralph. She sat upon her throne once more, waving her hand over the pool of water at her feet. "Place your hands inside... if what you told Sandy is truthful, the water shall remain pure."

Ralph cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing around before doing what Emily told him to. Vanellope did the same, furrowing her brows. After a few moments passed by, the two glanced from the water to her, blinking when nothing happened.

"What was the whole point of that?" Vanellope asked.

"You do not ask me questions, I ask you questions." Emily replied. "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

Ralph lightly nudged Vanellope with his arm, not wanting her to set the forest nymph off. "Hi there..." He waved. "Uh, my name is-"

"Keep your hand in the water!" Emily shouted.

"Oh, jeez uh, sorry..." Ralph shoved his hand back in the water, splashing Vanellope a bit.

"Come on, Ralph!" Vanellope whined.

Jack was snickering in the background, trying unsuccessfully to keep a smile off his face. Bunny smirked also, leaning towards him.

"Mate, you better cut it out or she's gonna-"

Thunder cracked over them, snapping them to attention as Emily shot a glare at them. She returned her focus to Ralph and Vanellope then.

"Speak." She commanded of them.

"Right, uh... so my name is Ralph, and I actually, um... originally came from a forest too, so yeah, go trees!" When he saw Emily wasn't amused, he chuckled nervously. "But yeah, in my game, the other guys kind of get rid of my stump and I'm supposed to be angry about it so I always wreck the building, and-"

"Enough. You child, speak." Emily said.

Vanellope glanced around for a moment before sighing. "Look lady, you don't have to worry about me, or even stinkbrain here. We're just trying to get back home-"

"Answer my question, defiant girl!" Emily shouted.

"Hey, I'm not the one who nearly used their plant whatevers to choke the life out of someone! Why do you have to be so mean?" Vanellope shouted.

Ralph tugged at his collar anxiously. "No, Van- stop- ohh you are going to make her angry-"

"You dare speak to me in such a manner?!" Emily shouted at Vanellope.

"Yeah! Just because I'm some good for nothing glitch doesn't mean that-" Vanellope gasped when suddenly, black ink began to fill the pool around her hand, making both her and Emily gasp.

"There... you have tainted the water with your lies!" Emily shouted, waving her hand to send a gust of wind at Vanellope, shoving her back several feet. The water returned to normal then.

"I didn't lie about anything, you crazy psycho!" Vanellope shouted.

"You shall pay for your behavior with your life, child!" Emily shouted.

Just as Emily reared her hand back, Bunny decided that this had gone far enough. He jumped in between Vanellope and Emily, holding his arms out.

"Alright, will you cut it out already, Em?" Bunny shouted.

"Stay out of my way, Bunnymund!" Emily screamed.

"No! Look, I knew you to be a standoffish type, but I can't believe you would try to hurt a little ankle biter that's done nothing to you!" Bunny replied.

"She has intruded upon MY domain and-"

"That's all it's ever about with you now, isn't it? First you had a tantrum about daddy dearest, which you still do, now everything is about 'your domain!' You're supposed to be Mother Nature Em, you're supposed to be nurturing, not a bloody tyrant!" Bunny snapped.

"The responsibilities I am tasked with are not for you to define!" Emily shouted.

"Fine. You may not want to do your job right, but I'm going to do MINE right. My job, is to protect children, and this here, is a child. So as long as I'm around, you're not gonna do a thing to her. Trust me, none of us are here because we want to be. We're here because our enemy is out there, and she's very, very powerful, and she's very, very vengeful. As soon as we finish her off, we'll be out of your hair, and you can go back to being in solitary confinement." Bunny replied.

Feeling totally humiliated and at a loss, Emily stared at Bunny with rage. "The child and that putrid man may join my father and the mortal queen in the darkened area of the forest where I may not look upon them."

"Oh, uh, my name is Ralph, in case you forgot-"

"Silence! Do as you're told before I change my mind in sparing your lives!" Emily shouted before sitting on her throne, her spine tense.

Bunny shook his head. "Come on guys, I'm not sticking around this b-"

"Itching to run from an unsolved conflict will only allow the hostility to fester, Bunny." Alice remarked.

"Trust me Alice, there is no reasoning with THAT." Bunny pointed at Emily, who began to breathe unevenly.

"Leave me alone!" She screamed, another crack of lightning bursting in the sky overhead. "And I say the same for you as well, Sandy, for allowing this disrespectful low lives to speak to me in such a manner!"

Sandy frowned, sighing lightly as he regrettably floated back to the shelter that he was sharing with Bunny, Alice and Jack. As they all settled in, Sandy could not deny that Bunny's words had some truth to them; he had known Emily for many centuries now, and he never remembered her being this… aggressive. Had all these years of isolation worn down on her empathy towards others? He hoped that if this was true, that their presence would eventually diminish Emily's aggression, not exaggerate it.

* * *

In the mountain, the Queen had educated Turbo about the guardians, their history with her as well as Alice, their connections and what place Turbo now shared with the other members among her collective. He bit his lip in thought, tapping a clawed finger to his chin.

"So… all I have to do is help you give a few people a 'game over,' and you'll help me tear that glitch to shreds?" Turbo asked.

"Precisely." The Queen smiled. "She may have indeed assisted us, however. If the child can somehow enter the forest with her abilities, then it is possible for any one of us. It's simple… find a way to make the child help us in… it won't be easy… but I'm sure we can figure out something. Especially with Hans here, he's proven to have quite a trusting exterior to him."

"Just tell me what you need me to do." Hans replied.

The Queen pursed her lip in thought. "Let's not be too hasty." She said. "We must bide our time and prepare properly. You all need to sharpen your skills and learn to become an effective offensive force. In the meantime, I will take time to determine what our next course of action will be…" She took her leave, going over to a quieter area of the mountain to sit, closing her eyes. "Alright… where might you be… I cannot spare too much blood… it is the source of my strength." The Queen whispered to herself, closing her eyes as the opened her mouth, biting into one of her wrists. She hissed lightly, allowing the blood to drip onto the floor. When it pooled, she narrowed her eyes as she looked into it. She took Elsa's strand of hair, dropping it into the blood as it rippled lightly. She leaned forward as she saw Elsa inside the forest with Pitch, having set up their own shelter. She then heard distant voices, her eyes widening when she saw Vanellope and Ralph heading towards their location. "Ah… so the wretch is exactly where I need her to be… if they can enter the forest, so can I." She took a snow globe out from her dress, hissing into it. When nothing happened, she growled in angry confusion as she spoke to it again. When it didn't work, she tucked the snow globe back into her dress angrily as she realized that method was not going to work. "The enchantment upon that forest is very strong indeed… I will have to find success in a more complicated manner." She cursed under her breath, about to head back to the center of the mountain when something caught her attention. She tilted her head curiously as she caught a faint scent upon the air. She quickly but quietly crawled up the wall of the mountain until she reached the top, scanning the area. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but the scent was still barely detected as the wind carried it along calmly. Concentrating deeply, she moved slower, trying to get a better sense of where the scent was coming from. When it grew slightly stronger, her eyes darted. They widened when they saw a mere fragment of something floating about in the air, her hand snapping out to grab it. Upon opening it, she raised a brow, revealing a strand of hair. She stared at it for several moments before inhaling its scent deeply, her brows furrowing a bit as her mind raced. When realization hit her, she gasped, whirling around to head back into the mountain speedily. The Queen practically threw the single hair into the small puddle of blood, her eyes widening as its source appeared before her. "No… it cannot be…" She growled lowly, pure rage twisting her features into a deep scowl. "That defiant, persistent wretch!" She shrieked, whirling around as she gripped her head for a moment with her large hands. "I killed her myself… I watched the life leave her eyes, how can she still be…" Her mind scrambled for an answer, raising her head as she nodded to herself a bit. "… the guardians… they must have found some way to restore her… curse them, curse them!" She fell to her knees, her breathing uneven. "She cannot live… she shall dethrone me again before my empire is even built… I must destroy her first… but she is a formidable foe, there is no denying that… must I be forever haunted by her undying presence, must I never be at peace from her swift hand of justice?!" She bit her lip, concentrating deeply. "When one passage is blocked in the veins of the body, the blood must travel a different course… show me a way to destroy her, show me a weakness I may take hold…" The Queen whispered, looking into the puddle of blood. When it presented the answer she sought out, she smirked wickedly. "Ah… left to her own devices I see… and better yet, her heart is filled with resurfacing troubles… all the easier to take control of." She nodded to herself. "While the others perfect their abilities… I shall perfect her heart into my image." The Queen chuckled lowly, the sound swelling into chaotic laughter. "You shall experience your greatest suffering yet!"

* * *

Back in Arendelle, Baby Tooth sighed sadly, missing Tooth. She had been asked to remain there while she went back to North's workshop to help keep an eye on things. The small fairy pouted lightly until she noticed someone approach her, blinking lightly. She straightened up a bit, hovering in the air a bit when Pascal, Rapunzel's chameleon, tilted his head curiously at her. She did the same with him, squeaking lightly. Pascal smiled at her, nodding lightly as the two small creatures communicated. The reptile extended a hand, the fairy shaking it lightly as she giggled. They both turned when Rapunzel approached them, chuckling lightly.

"Aww, made a new friend, Pascal?" She asked, gently petting the small chameleon before extending a hand so that Baby Tooth could touch down on her palm. "I can't imagine how beautiful your home land must be." She remarked before Anna approached them.

"Have you seen Olaf?" She asked.

"No, why?" Rapunzel glanced around for a moment.

"Eliza had another nightmare, and he usually is able to calm her down…" Anna frowned.

"Oh dear… I can help you find him if you need me to…" Rapunzel said. "Here Pascal, you stay here with Baby Tooth. Come find me if you happen to see him." She then joined Anna in looking for the little snowman.

Meanwhile, Eliza wiped her eyes, exhaling deeply as she finally willed herself to get out of bed. The nightmare still lingered in her mind, visions of her family fighting and her unpleasant journey to England after being sent away. She wandered out of the castle and into the stables, her frown fading a bit as she walked inside. She walked up to where Sven was, giggling as she grabbed a small stool to stand on and undo the latch. She went inside, hugging his neck as she closed her eyes. Sven smiled warmly, grunting a bit to her as he sensed something was not quite right with her.

"I had the nightmares again." She said, answering his unspoken question as the reindeer frowned lightly. "But a bit of fun may help me feel better."

Maximus and Angus, Merida's horse that she brought over from Scotland, peeked over their stables, both snorting lightly to Sven, shaking their heads. Toothless emerged then, having taken one of the larger spaces being he was bigger. He was able to roam freely so he could fly and stretch out his wings if he needed to. He yawned lazily, looking between all of them when the horses were communicating with Sven. The reindeer snorted back at them, nodding his head to Eliza as he pointed a hoof to himself, nodding confidently. Maximus and Angus, both who had become well acquainted, glanced at each other unsurely. They both jumped a bit when Toothless pranced around a bit, smiling and nodding. It seemed that he wanted to join Sven and Eliza in on the fun, that which the pair of horses did not think was such a great idea. They were overruled however, Eliza taking a saddle and biting her lip as she helped fasten it to Sven's back. She grunted as she tried to climb on, Toothless helping to nudge her the rest of the way up with his snout so she could seat herself. Toothless glanced back, winking at them to hide behind him so they could sneak out. Maximus stared after them flatly, Angus looking on worriedly as the young girl swayed a bit to keep balance. Once the three reached the forest just outside Arendelle's palace, Toothless chirped a bit when they found an open meadow. He romped around a bit, prancing as he pounced in the air after butterflies.

"What a beautiful day!" Eliza exclaimed. "I don't know why the others said I need one of them around to ride you, Sven. I can do it just fine on my own… better than being cooped up inside all day where my bad memories make me sad… I still wish Alice and Jack were here. Why couldn't they stay and let the other guardians go?" She frowned lightly.

Sven whimpered a bit, perking up a bit when he saw something in the distance.

"What is it, Sven?" She then saw something seeming to float in the distance as well, tilting her head. "Come on, let's hurry!"

Sven stuck his tongue out playfully, taking off. Eliza laughed as the wind blew through her hair. "Faster, Sven!"

The reindeer nodded, galloping faster towards the floating object in the distance. Toothless was running just alongside them, chirping and blasting a fireball into the sky as he emitted a guttural laugh. Their merriment came to a halt however, when Sven suddenly tripped over a rock, his legs fumbling as the speed of his momentum send him flying forward; and Eliza flying forward OFF of him. Toothless cried out, skidding to a stop as he gently nudged Eliza with his nose. He looked to Sven, the reindeer shaking his head as he got to his feet. When he saw Toothless' expression, he panicked, trotting over to see that Eliza was biting her lip, whimpering as she held her leg. She looked up at Toothless, her brow twisted in pain.

"Toothless, I… I don't think I can walk…!" Eliza exclaimed.

The dragon bowed his head worriedly, looking to Sven and whining lightly. Sven grunted back, gently nudging Eliza's cheek with his snout apologetically.

"It's alright, Sven… but I must find my way home so I can try to-" Eliza stopped then, gasping when she saw that the object they were going after was a few feet from them. She strained as she tried to stand, Toothless offering his head to help her lean against. "What is this…?" She asked to herself, limping over as her hand reached out to it. She took it into her hands, inspecting it a bit curiously. "How peculiar…"

Before she could inspect it any further, they heard voices in the distance, the girl gasping as she tucked it into her dress. Her eyes widened as she saw Maximus and Angus galloping towards them in the distance, Hiccup and Eugene riding them. When they found Eliza, they both hopped off.

"Toothless, are you crazy?!" Hiccup threw his hands up at the dragon, who gave Hiccup his puppy-eyed look as he whined apologetically. "The kid is inexperienced, she could have gotten hurt!"

Right on cue, as Eugene went to help Eliza to her feet, the girl screamed in pain, collapsing back to the ground as she held her leg. Tears streamed down her face as Eugene jumped a bit at her reaction. "Hiccup, something's wrong!" He cried.

The Viking rushed over, hushing Eliza. "Okay, let me just- ohh boy… that does not look good…" Hiccup bit his lip as he traced his fingers over her leg as gently as possible, deep bruises already beginning to appear. "We've got to get you back, fast… you broke your leg." He bent down a bit more to gently take Eliza into his arms, carrying her bridal style to gently set her on Maximus before climbing on himself. "I'm going to bring her back, can you handle those two goofballs?" He asked Eugene.

"Yeah, you go ahead, Hiccup…" Eugene said.

"Okay." Hiccup pointed at Toothless and Sven. "You two are in serious trouble when we get home." He said before heading back with Eliza and Maximus.

Once they arrived at the palace, Hiccup carried Eliza inside, bringing her to her bedroom where Olaf was waiting nearby.

"Olaf!" Eliza cried. "You have to get Rapunzel!"

The snowman heard her voice, going over to her and frowning worriedly. "Eliza, are you okay?"

"No, Hiccup says I broke my leg… it hurts!" She whimpered.

"Oh no… I'll go find her!" He waddled quickly down the corridors, finally finding her. The two went to Eliza's bedroom, where Rapunzel sat at Eliza's bedside.

"It feels like a clean break…" Hiccup said. "… do you think you can handle it?"

Rapunzel smiled lightly, cracking her knuckles. "Hiccup, you're about to see an expert healer in action." She said, gently placing her hands on Eliza's leg, concentrating. She began to sing the healing song, both Hiccup and Eliza staring in awe as a golden glow illuminated from her hands. After a few moments, Eliza smiled as she felt the pain disappear, the bruises fading as her leg was healed completely.

"Wow… thank you, Rapunzel!" Eliza beamed.

"That was amazing… how do you make your hands light up like that?" Olaf asked.

Hiccup rolled his eyes playfully, Rapunzel giggling. Anna and Kristoff entered the room them, stopping short as they both sighed with relief.

"Eliza, you scared us half to death!" Anna cried. "Don't ever sneak out like that again, what if we hadn't found you?"

"I was doing fine on my own… Sven slipped, it was an accident." Eliza replied.

"Trust me, I gave him a good talking to." Kristoff said. "But from now on, you can't leave the palace without one of us, okay?"

"Why?" Eliza asked, crossing her arms. "I'm not a little girl anymore, I can handle myself quite well!"

"Says the girl who just had her leg broken." Hiccup added.

"I said it was only an accident!" Eliza pouted.

"But it was a bad accident..." Anna replied. "You're still too young to be making these big decisions and doing these things on your own." Anna said.

"But it's so confusing! Alice says I'm too old to be playing games and acting like a child, and you say I'm too young to be having fun by myself! How am I to know what's right, when can I be content and do what I want to do?" Eliza complained.

"I know it's hard at this age... believe me, finding myself as a scrawny teenager was nearly as hard as training Toothless... but we're all here to help, Eliza. With everything going on, we just want to keep you safe." Hiccup said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Just then, Merida appeared in the doorway. "Come on, you scallywags! They've just finished making a fresh apple crumb pie in the kitchen!"

The men in the room looked at each other for a split second before all three of them ran towards and out the door, all shoving each other.

"Jeez Kristoff, watch the face! It's my best quality!" Eugene could be heard shouting from down the hall.

Anna and Rapunzel gave each other flat looks before rolling their eyes. "Come on Eliza... let's go grab a slice together before the guys eat it all."

"A- Alright..." Eliza replied, clearing her throat. "I'll be down in just a moment."

As the pair of ladies headed out, Eliza checked to make sure the coast was clear, motioning Olaf to come over. "Olaf... I'm going to hide this in my drawer. I found it in the meadow. It's an odd box of some kind, I don't want anyone to touch it." She placed it in her drawer, locking it and tucking the key in her pocket. "You must keep it a secret, okay?"

"Okay!" Olaf beamed. "Secrets are fun." He whispered.

The two giggled lightly, Eliza holding his stick hand as they went down to the kitchen together.

* * *

Pitch and Elsa were resting in their shelter when they heard voices in the distance, Pitch narrowing his eyes a bit as his arm tightened a bit around Elsa's shoulders. When he heard the voices nearing, he looked down at her, placing a finger to his lips.

"Stay here. I'm going to see what that is. Those voices don't sound familiar." Pitch said.

Elsa nodded, and the nightmare king rose to his feet to emerge from their little shelter. He squinted his eyes in the darkness to see a rather large man approaching. He was about to wield his scythe when he heard a small, high pitched voice speaking, discovering a small child was accompanying the man. He tilted his head in confusion, approaching the two as they wandered forth. When Ralph was caught off guard, he jumped, holding his hands up.

"Woah! Vanellope, get behind me!" Ralph shouted. "Who are you?"

"I should be asking you the same question." Pitch stated calmly. "Does Emily know you're here? If not, you're in for quite a rude welcoming."

"Beat ya to it, pal!" Vanellope piped from Ralph's shoulder. "Is Emily that crazy psycho lady with green skin?"

"Wha- she- my daughter is NOT a 'psycho lady!'" Pitch spat.

"Whaaat? She's your DAUGHTER?! Huh, she doesn't look anything like you. Are you a psycho too?" Vanellope asked.

Pitch blinked in surprise, taken aback. "I am not- you silence yourself this very moment or I'll-"

"Hey, so why do you look like you're dead? Are you that Nosferatu guy? Ralph told me about him once. Drinking blood is kinda gross though, isn't it? Why can't vampires just drink a slurpee?" Vanellope asked without pause.

"Maybe it's because it keeps away annoying little girls who don't SHUT UP!" Pitch snapped. "I am the Boogeyman, and you WILL fear me!"

"I am the Boogeyman, and you WILL fear me!" Vanellope imitated in a mocking tone, making a face at him. "News flash, you're not scary!"

Ralph rolled his eyes, patting Pitch's shoulder. "Trust me, she did this to me too when we first met. Nothing personal."

"What- I- why are you two hooligans even here?! What have you to do with us?!" Pitch shouted.

Elsa emerged from the shelter then, hearing the commotion and determining that it wasn't exactly an impending threat. She approached the small group, clearing her throat. "Good evening, everyone... is everything alright here?"

Even in the low light, Ralph's eyes widened quite a bit when he saw Elsa. Her dress seemed to shimmer like stars, the scarce moonbeams reflecting in her sapphire blue eyes. Her skin was like marble, sculpted to perfection. The wrecker cleared his throat, smiling nervously as he waved as delicately as he could with hands his size.

"Hello there, um, yes, everything is fine and dandy here! Um, I'm Ralph, and this is my friend Penelope, she's just a cute little-"

"Hey! You said my name wrong, you big ape! Get your head out of the cotton candy clouds!" Vanellope crossed her arms before hopping off of his shoulder. "Don't listen to that big guy there; my name is Vanellope VonSchweetz! Pleasure to meet you!" She grinned, sticking her hand out.

Elsa chuckled lightly, extending her hand to shake. When she touched the child's hand, she jumped a bit when Vanellope glitched a bit. "What just happened?" Elsa asked, looking down at her own hands before looking at Vanellope.

"Aw, don't worry, that was just me glitching up again." She shrugged.

"Glitch-... glitching? I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that ailment." Elsa furrowed a brow.

"I think they may be from a virtual universe, Elsa... may take some time for you to understand its concept." Pitch leaned over and said quietly.

"Oh..." Elsa glanced back at Vanellope, smiling lightly. "We'll have to help you both build your own shelter. I don't know if you particularly like the cold, but mine and Pitch's are being supported by some of my ice structures. It won't melt because it has my enchantment placed on it, and-"

"You made that?! Wow... I- I mean, I mean that in a good way, it's just I'm afraid I would wreck it... that is my name after all, Wreck-it-Ralph, I uh... wreck things." Ralph fumbled over his words.

Elsa chuckled nervously. "Don't worry, I can always build new if I need to. It's not too much of a strain."

Pitch looked between Elsa and Ralph, inhaling sharply before waving his hands. "Alright then! We're all going to go back to our own spaces, Elsa will be spending the night with me as always, and the two of you can go... wherever. And... Ralph, is it? Please make a great effort to keep that... child out of my earshot, or I guarantee you I shall plague her with nightmares. Alright, fantastic! Have unpleasant dreams, and I bid you farewell!"

"Pitch...!" Elsa hissed as he practically dragged her back into their shelter.

"Don't 'Pitch' me, they were acting completely suspicious!" He whispered back.

"That was very rude, you don't even know them! They could be going through the same thing we are!" Elsa frowned.

"Well until we DO know them, we're going to stay as far away as possible." Pitch declared, pulling the blanket over them to settle in. Elsa sighed in defeat, laying on her back. "Fine. I'll just have a nice chat tomorrow with Ralph and get to know him in the morning." Pitch's eyes popped open at that, opening his mouth to protest when Elsa cut him off. "Goodnight, Pitch." She smirked, leaning over to plant a small kiss before turning over to close her eyes.

"... that 'Wreck-it' Ralph better watch I don't 'wreck' his dreams... which better not be about ELSA." He growled under his breath, huffing with frustration as he closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Alice, Jack, Sandy and Bunny were all sharing a larger shelter they had made, almost like a small cabin. Jack and Alice were curled up together in a makeshift bed, the other two trying to sleep if they weren't whispering so much. The couple had been kissing deeply for some time, Alice breaking it as she whimpered lightly in surprise.

"Jack, this is neither the time nor the place to be- Jack!" Alice hissed in a whisper as she giggled lightly, the ice guardian chuckling quietly as he rested his forehead against Alice's cheek.

"Come on, we both need to relax after the long day we had..." Jack whispered back.

"We should be thinking about what we should plan on doing tomorrow, not engaging in mischievous activities..." Alice said before jumping lightly, slapping at his hand playfully under the blanket. "Jack, my sudden movements are going to wake everyone!"

"Who cares?" He snickered, holding her hands in his. "Someone needs to cool off... and I think I know exactly what to do to make that happen."

Alice gave him a look, shaking her head. When he raised his brows and nodded, Alice giggled quietly, whining playfully as Jack gently pulled her closer to him. He planted kisses on her cheek before smirking, lightly nipping at her neck and making Alice jump a bit, covering her mouth a bit.

"J- Jack, I can't very well remain quiet with you doing that!" Alice hissed.

"Someone doesn't like Jack Frost nipping? I thought you liked my frost bites?" He wiggled his brows, chuckling quietly.

"Oh, for goodness sakes..." Alice rolled her eyes playfully before gasping lightly. "... Jack... Jack Frost you cease that right- the others will hear- ohhh... s- st- you're making me shake like a leaf..."

" ... you know I love when I make you jump... you're usually so hard to please." Jack smirked.

"Come on Jack, this isn't proper- ohhh... a- alright, just don't be too fervent-" She strained, covering her mouth to muffle a soft moan.

While Jack and Alice were enjoying themselves, perhaps a bit too loudly for Bunny's extra sensitive hearing, the Easter guardian grumbled, tugging his ears down as he rested- or at least was attempting to- not far from them. He then noticed a familiar golden glow illuminate dimly, glancing over to see Sandy sit up, wearing a flat expression. He floated towards Alice and Jack, bouncing a ball of dream sand in his palm. Alice failed to see him approaching as she was occupied, but when Jack did see him, his eyes widened a bit as he gulped. When he realized what Sandy was going to do, he waved one of his hands at him, trying to get him to back off.

"Sandy, nononononono don't-"

The dream guardian tossed the ball of dream sand, hitting Alice without her even realizing it, falling asleep instantly. Jack gritted his teeth, sitting up as he glared at Sandy, the dream guardian raising a brow.

"Oh when I get a chance you are SO going to get it-" Jack started, but was interrupted when Sandy hit him with the dream sand, Jack passing out instantly as well. The dream guardian laughed inaudibly, floating back over and settling back in. He and Bunny fist bumped.

"Thanks, mate. I owe you one." Bunny said. "Being I'm awake already, I may as well take a stroll... some fresh air should help me get tired again."

* * *

 **Hey, guardians need love too, right? Going to end it here for now, leaving you all to speculate what- or who- Bunny will encounter upon his midnight stroll. In the meantime, I'm sure you have other questions; what was the box that Eliza found? Who was the Queen referring to in her rant? Will Ralph and Vanellope be able to fit in with this group? find out all these answers and more in upcoming chapters! Stay tuned and thank you for reading!**


	10. Knocking Down Barriers

**Good afternoon, readers! Back again with a new chapter chock full of intriguing interactions! Yes, battling will come soon enough, but for now we're going to focus in on progressing this plot and seeing what these characters make of each other. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Bunny took in a deep breath, the cool night providing him comfort as he wandered aimlessly through the trees. After some time, he stumbled across a patch of moon flowers, their white petals opening up to reveal their glowing insides, shimmering like the moon itself. Bunny blinked, crouching down to admire them. Flora was something he enjoyed, a common source of life in his Warren. As he was gazing upon them, he failed to notice someone panning silently behind him before speaking.

"They are beautiful, are they not?" Emily asked, making Bunny jump a bit in surprise as she bent down beside him. "They thrive in the night... under the glow of the moon. They conceal their precious light inside them. Protected... from those who wish them harm."

Bunny sighed, glancing over at her. "Look, Em... I'm sorry about yelling at you earlier... but I have a job to do, and I can't just stand by when a child is hurt, or frightened."

"I understand. We both have our tasks we must fulfill. I have been quite harsh... but all of these individuals in my sanctuary is a bit much for me to handle all at once." Emily replied.

Bunny glanced up, exhaling slowly. "You've got to get out more, Sheila. Sounds like a pretty dumb statement, but I mean... you-"

"I cannot do that." Emily said, floating up to a tree to touch it, ivy gently weaving down the tree from her hand in a beautiful array. "The only one I trust is Sandy... I trust no others in this world. I look upon the world outside of my forest, and I see only foes."

Bunny walked up to the base of the tree, biting his lip. "I was the same way for a long time, Em... I kept myself pretty cooped up in my Warren for a few centuries... but you can't just keep yourself locked up here forever. It's not good for you."

"I shall determine what is good for me and what isn't. At least in solitude I'm not being harmed." Emily replied.

"But you're not experiencing anything, either. I can say from experience, I've learned more in these last few months than I have in the last few centuries." Bunny said.

"My mind is set in its ways, I shall not change it." Emily shot a look at him. "Go and rest. I would like some peace and quiet."

Bunny rolled his eyes. "So moody..." He muttered, shuffling back to his shelter where he laid down, finally feeling tired enough to go to sleep. He reflected on his conversation for a few minutes before exhaustion took him, but he wondered exactly when Emily became a shadow of her former self. He knew little of her, but from what he did know, she certainly had changed over the centuries, and not necessarily for the better. She somehow reminded him of someone, but he was too sleepy to make an effort to think too deeply into it.

* * *

The Queen raised a brow when she heard commotion, turning to head back into the center of the mountain. She growled a bit when she saw pandemonium ensuing, several cybugs flying about and making a mess of things.

"Will someone care to explain why these creatures are seeking to deter our progress?!" The Queen snapped.

"Your highness, they're durable and extremely adaptive!" Hans shouted, conjuring fire in his hand to blast at them.

The Queen raised a brow at this, several thoughts forming as she grinned. Turbo went up to her then, gasping for air.

"Those cybugs... must have hitchhiked with me on the way here... they grow... really, REALLY fast..." Turbo strained.

"Tedniig alj, ta nar munkhag!" Maharaja shouted to his minions, slicing a cybug clean in half as it flew at him.

The Queen produced several heart shaped tarts then, glancing at them as one flew at her to attack. As it neared, she reared her hand back, shoving the tarts in its mouth and shoving it off of her. She handed one to Turbo, appearing slightly different. "Eat this."

Turbo raised a brow, glancing from the pastry to her. "Look, that's really sweet that you admire me and all, there's no reason not to, but I'm not really into sweets and-"

"DO IT!" The Queen shrieked.

"Woah, okay, jeez... you've got some pipes on you, Queenie." Turbo replied, eating the tart. He blinked, feeling something in his mind. The other cybugs stopped what they were doing, looking towards the one who had consumed the other tarts. It twitched for a few moments before skittering over to Turbo, clicking and whirring a bit before crouching down in a submissive manner. The Queen tossed out more tarts with a wave of her hand, the cybugs ignorantly catching them in their mouths like dogs would a treat. As they consumed them, Turbo felt his mind expanding more and more, an odd sensation as he felt like his range of control was increasing. "Uh... did those things happen to have some of that trippy sugar in it or something-"

"All of you, listen closely to me." The Queen announced, the others focusing their attention on her now that the sudden threat from the cybugs seemed to be averted. "Do you see the destruction these creatures are capable of? They shall be a great benefit to us. The tarts I have provided them have forced them into a single hive mind, and I have granted Turbo here to be the leader of that hive mind. He, and only he, can control them." She turned to Hans. "You seem to be improving with your powers... you may use some of these... 'cybugs...' as target practice."

Hans blinked, amazed by how the Queen turned this situation around so quickly. "Yes, your highness."

Turbo blinked, glancing down as the other cybugs approached him, looking up at him as their leader. "So... I can make them do whatever I want?"

"That is the premise of a hive mind, is it not? The brain, which is yourself, controlling all flesh and bone connected to it." The Queen replied.

Turbo nodded slowly, taking this in as a grin slowly grew in his features. "Hm... I could make them tear that glitch to shreds... and then that giant oaf, Ralph..."

As Turbo continued to mumble to himself, Hans approached the Queen. "Your highness, I know we still have a lot of preparations to complete, but if I may, I don't think we should wait too much longer to launch an attack..." He suggested.

"Indeed, you are correct. I assure you, the opportune time to strike shall present itself. It seems that my former enemy that I had presumed dead is quite the opposite in this current moment... she has joined forces with Elsa and they are all within the security of the forest. We are at a disadvantage, a stalemate, because we cannot access them, so the only way we will be able to engage them is if they come to us. We need a reason to draw them out... something I shall be implementing a plan for soon enough." The Queen answered.

"Yes, your majesty. Is there anything I can do?" Hans asked.

"There is. Continue to perfect your powers. You will need them against the opposing forces of Elsa and Jack Frost." The Queen replied. "Go to Turbo and tell him that I want you to use the cybugs as practice; it will be symbiotic in that you shall sharpen your skills and he shall become accustomed to using his hive mind abilities." The Queen replied.

When Hans was dismissed, the Queen smirked lightly as she glanced back, looking upon the armies building themselves up and strengthening. Maharaja paced around his minions as they trained in unison with their weapons, emitting battle cries. Turbo and Hans helped each other to train, and the Phoenix helped a small group of minions forge more weaponry. She grinned wickedly, reveling in how her forces were coming together. She conjured several card guards, each kneeling before her before standing to attention. "Stand at the base of the mountain, report anything that approaches." She commanded as they each gave a firm nod before doing as she requested.

* * *

The next morning, Sandy was sleeping peacefully when suddenly, he was jostled awake by getting his face covered in freezing cold water. He gasped for air as he flew into a sitting position, Jack crossing his arms as he stood over him.

"Rise and shine, Sandy..." Jack smirked. "... maybe next time, someone won't kill someone else's romantic mood, huh?"

Sandy gritted his teeth, rolling his sleeves up as he marched towards the ice guardian in midair. He was about to sucker punch Jack when Alice quickly stepped between them.

"Now gentlemen, play nice..." Alice said as she held her hands out. "Remember, we need everyone intact if we're going to have to properly fight. Besides, I need a moment with Jack- NOT what you're thinking, Sandy- I need to speak with him about something." Without another word, Alice took Jack's hand, leading him to the other side of the small shelter.

"You know I love you, right?" Jack smiled, kissing Alice's cheek.

"Alright, may you stay out of trouble for a moment? I have something serious to discuss with you." Alice replied.

"Okay, okay... what is it?" Jack asked.

"I think it's time one of us reaches out to the remaining guardians at the North Pole. Being they were not in Arendelle to attend my harsh but necessary meeting before our departure, I think it's about time that someone relay what's happening to them." Alice suggested.

Jack's expression became a bit serious then; Alice had a point. "Yeah... I hadn't even thought of that."

"Well, something else has been clouding your judgment." Alice said, knocking on his forehead a bit as Jack chuckled, waving her hands away playfully.

"I can't help that I love being around you so much..." Jack said, Alice rolling her eyes as she smirked.

"Alright, Romeo... we have some snow globes stored in the small wicker basket just there, take one and go to the North Pole." She said.

"Okay. I'll be back soon." Jack said, giving Alice a quick kiss on her cheek before doing as she asked.

As Jack left, Sandy floated up to Alice, holding his hands out in a frustrated manner. He telepathically communicated with her, Alice seeing his words appear in midair as she raised a brow.

"Well, here I thought you were implying Jack and I needed some separation, I was simply heeding your advice." Alice smirked.

Sandy crossed his arms, tapping his foot as a sand picture of a tooth formed above his head, pointing to it and then frowning, putting a hand over his heart. Alice's expression softened, sighing lightly.

"I did forget that you're both a couple... my apologies. I'll have to send you as the messenger next time." Alice said.

Sandy rolled his eyes playfully, smirking a bit as he made more words appear in front of Alice. Bunny walked into the room to see Alice squint at what he saw was nothing, before bursting out into laughter. Sandy wiggled his brows as Alice held her chest with one hand. "Oh, only in your dreams, Sandy!" She exclaimed as she laughed.

Bunny raised a brow, tilting his head. "Bloody hell, what's so funny?" When Sandy waved his hands towards him, he groaned. "Oh, I see how it is, get everyone in on your inside jokes but the rabbit." He huffed.

Meanwhile, Elsa hummed to herself as she picked some apples, cutting them with an ice shard and mashing them to make apple sauce. Vanellope emerged, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. She stopped when she saw Ralph standing perfectly still, looking from him to Elsa and rolling her eyes. The wrecker was snapped out of his stupor when the child tossed a pebble at his head.

"Hey, wake up!" Vanellope shouted. "Earth to stinkbrain, did the love cybug bite you in the butt?" She snickered.

Ralph stumbled over his words for a few moments, shushing Vanellope. "Will you keep it down?! Look, I don't know what's coming over me, it's just that, after thirty years of seeing the same 8-bit ladies all the time... man, now I know why Felix fell head over heels the first time he saw a high definition lady... she sings really nice too..." Ralph said as he sighed blissfully.

Vanellope stared at him flatly, pondering a bit before smirking. "Well, why don't you just say that to her then?"

"Are you crazy?! I can't just say something like that to someone after knowing them for five seconds!" Ralph exclaimed.

"Well you sure don't have a problem blabbing about it to me!" She skipped over to Elsa, giggling as she did so.

Ralph's eyes widened in a panic. "Wait, what are you- Vanellope, if you so much as say one word I'll-"

"Hey Elsa! What'cha got cooking there?" Vanellope asked, making Ralph breathe a sigh of relief.

Elsa blinked before smiling gently. "I'm making some apple sauce for Pitch... I'm not all that experienced with cooking."

"Well lucky for you, I come from a place where it's made entirely of candies and pastries! So if you need someone's help in the culinary arts, I'm your girl!" Vanellope said, pointing a thumb at herself.

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer." Elsa nodded lightly.

"So where's your boyfriend? He IS your boyfriend, right?" Vanellope asked.

Elsa chuckled lightly, blushing a bit. "I suppose you could say that."

"Say, you're pretty nice... how can you stand being with someone so grumpy all the time? I guess I should ask myself that, Ralph can be grumpy too." Vanellope said.

"Hey, I'm standing right over here!" Ralph exclaimed, making Elsa glance back and couldn't help but giggle lightly.

"Now Vanellope, that's not nice to say." Elsa said.

"It's true, though... you know what else is true?" Vanellope snickered. "Ralph thinks you're pretty!"

"VANELLOPE!" Ralph groaned in the background, running a hand down his face. Elsa blushed a bit deeper, giggling a bit nervously.

"Well, tell him that I thank him for his compliment. Hm... I think this should be good enough, I'm going to wake Pitch and give him his breakfast. It was nice talking to you, Vanellope." Elsa smiled lightly, getting up and going into her shelter. Vanellope rolled around laughing after Elsa left, holding her stomach.

"You are in SO much trouble! Now she's going to think I'm some kind of creep!" Ralph crossed his arms angrily.

"Hey, I was just being honest!" Vanellope answered, hopping up and squeaking when Ralph started to chase her around the trees.

* * *

Jack arrived just outside of North's workshop, floating towards one of the entrances, smirking when one of the Yetis guarding the way raised a brow at him. "Hey, Phil. Is North in there?"

Inside, Wick bit his lip in concentration. "Almost... almost..." His scythe lit up as flames burst outwards, the Halloween guardian fumbling a bit as he tried to simmer it down. When he did, the s'more he was holding was burnt to a crisp, groaning as he let his head fall forward. "I'm never going to make a perfect s'more..."

"Hey, how's it going there, Wick?" Jack asked as he approached.

Wick perked up, smiling lightly. "Jack! Oh..." He frowned then. "I still can't get it right..."

"Don't worry, keep practicing and you'll get it." Jack smiled. "Is North around?"

"Yeah, he and Tooth are in his little office." Wick replied.

Jack gave him a nod, patting his shoulder lightly as he walked over to North's office door. He knocked, waiting for an answer.

"Finally, you learn how to knock first!" Jack heard North shout from inside, rolling his eyes playfully as the door opened. "Jack! What a surprise!" He laughed heartily.

"Hey, Jack!" Tooth beamed, flying over to give Jack a hug. She had been in the middle of flossing an elf's teeth, the elf making a run for it once Tooth had stopped. "How are you? Is everything alright?"

"I'm okay, thanks... and everything is... well, a little crazy... that's actually why I came here, there's a lot I need to catch you guys on. Have you seen anything?" Jack replied.

"No, but... what's going on, Jack?" Tooth asked, frowning lightly.

"Come come, let us sit at the table, we can discuss everything there." North said, patting Jack's shoulder as they headed out of his office.

After getting Wick to join them, the four guardians sat at one end of the long table to talk things over.

"So how is everything in Arendelle?"Tooth asked.

"Well... that's the thing. I didn't come here from Arendelle." Jack replied. Tooth blinked, she and North exchanging a glance. "A couple nights ago, Alice called a meeting after she and Pitch did some investigating."

"Alice and Pitch?" North asked, raising a wary brow. "What did they find?"

Jack exhaled slowly. "A lot... and it wasn't good."

"Did they find the Queen? She's definitely alive?" Wick asked.

"Yes... the Queen is very much alive... and she's put together an army." Jack said.

"Rimsky-Korsikov!" North exclaimed. "Right under our noses!"

"Jack... how big is this army, exactly? Were there a lot of those... card guard things I heard about...?" Tooth asked.

"Not only that, Tooth." Jack replied. "She seems to have found everyone's enemies and convinced them to join her. Hans, the guy who betrayed Anna and tried to kill Elsa before Pitch came into the picture, was there... also, she's got this... big bug guy, we met up with a couple of people from another time period named-"

"We must go straight to where they are and take down this army right now!" North exclaimed, unsheathing his swords.

"Wait, North, not a good idea..." Jack warned.

"Why? Why should we wait one moment? The three of us can fight, even Tooth can help!" North replied.

"That's why you all need to stay here, BECAUSE of Tooth!" Jack exclaimed.

"What do you mean...?" Tooth placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack, what is it?"

"She... she brought someone back who wants to kill you." Jack said.

"Well if anyone wants to get her, they'll have to get through me first!" Wick narrowed his eyes.

Jack bit his lip for a moment. "The Monkey King and his army of minions... Alice said she and Pitch saw them there."

Tooth's whole expression changed, her breath hitching as she fluttered backwards before sinking into a chair.

"That is impossible!" North exclaimed. "He died many centuries ago!"

"Well, the Queen found a way to bring him back, apparently." Jack sighed. "And we're pretty sure Tooth will be his main target."

Tooth was completely silent, her eyes widened in shock at this news. "Jack... I... I can't stay here. I have to go back to my palace-"

"Are you crazy?! That's the first place they'll go when they come looking for you!" Jack exclaimed.

"Exactly! I can't allow you all to be put in danger because of me. I can't leave my palace unprotected, my fairies..." Tooth frowned. "I have to go back and brace for what they have in store for me alone."

"Absolutely out of the question." North started. "We are all guardians, we not only protect the children, we protect each other. I will leave Yetis in charge here, Wick and I will go to Punjam Hy Loo to stand watch. With the Monkey King alive once again, we cannot allow him to get to Tooth or destroy her home. We will use the snow globes to get back and forth to each other quickly if we run into trouble."

"Jack, can't you stay with us?" Wick frowned.

"I can't... I have to go back to Alice, she needs me there. Look, I don't know what the Queen is planning, who or where they'll attack first... but I'll try when I can to come back and let you guys know if anything's going on." Jack replied.

"Be careful out there, Jack..." Tooth fluttered over to give him a hug, sighing worriedly. "Tell Sandy and Bunny to be careful too, and everyone else with you."

"Should I throw in an extra 'I love you' to Sandy?" Jack smirked lightly.

Tooth rolled her eyes playfully, waving her hand. "Okay..."

"Come now, Wick, we must prepare for our departure!" North exclaimed as he got his fur coat on.

"Do I get to go in the sleigh again? Awesome!" Wick beamed as he followed North.

Jack rolled his eyes, chuckling as he cast down a snow globe to head back. However, there was a pang of worry in his expression, as there was in Tooth's as she watched him leave with great concern in her heart.

* * *

Alice had been sitting in a circle with Sandy, Bunny, Elsa, Pitch, Ralph and Vanellope, Emily pacing by silently in the background. She glanced around, exhaling slowly.

"Now that we all know a bit about each other... we can decide as a group how to approach this menacing collective." Alice said.

"We should just let Ralph run in there and go bananas! If he can crush a jawbreaker, he can crush anything." Vanellope piped up.

"It's not that simple, Vanellope." Elsa stated. "These creatures are very dangerous. They'll do anything to harm us."

Everyone turned around when Jack arrived then, blinking a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"This isn't some kind of intervention, is it?" Jack asked.

Alice rolled her eyes, pointing next to her to signal to him to take a seat. "Jack, we've all taken some time to become familiar with one another as well as start planning our first attack upon the Queen and her forces."

Jack blinked, looking around at all of them. "We're already planning an attack?! We've been here for barely two days!" He exclaimed.

Alice sighed. "How long do you expect us to wait? Would you rather wait until the week is out and they've completely destroyed everything?"

"You need not fret while you remain here, Jack Frost." Emily spoke, everyone looking to her as she approached the ice guardian. "Any foes who attempt to enter here will be destroyed, it is impossible for them to pass the forest borders. Only those I allow, or any connected to them, may pass unharmed."

"That's all fine and well Emily, but that doesn't include the places not under your protection." Jack replied.

"Those places do not concern me. If the Phoenix were not one of those who swore loyalty to Alice's enemy, I would have not one concern to begin with." Emily said.

"Listen Em, this affects you whether you like it or not. They're right at your doorstep; they may not have intended it, but it's a fact either way." Bunny added.

"You think I am ignorant to peril?" Emily asked. "I am the one who subdued the Phoenix in the first place, only I alone could do it. It cost me a great deal of power. Was it not I who saved North in the battle between yourselves and my father over an age ago? The Monkey King is no threat to me."

"I wouldn't have too much confidence, though that may be true, you have no idea how cunning the Queen is. She will find your weakness, and she will take advantage of it, even if your physical strength surpasses hers." Alice warned.

"I can see why my father once fought alongside her." Emily said, shooting Pitch a wary glance. "Proceed with your planning, Alice. I shall over your and your allies refuge here, but I shall not engage in combat so as long as the Phoenix does not give me reason to."

"Emily..." Pitch finally spoke. "If you refuse to fight, your domain, even your life, will be at stake."

As she looked upon him, she raised her head a bit more. "I appreciate your concern, father, but I assure you, it is not necessary." She then looked around at the others. "I take my leave. Do what you have to do." She said before floating away, resolving to tend to her forest and produce new growth.

Jack watched Emily as she went along her way, glancing at Alice as she spoke to the others. He then followed her, looking around at the beautiful array of blossom trees. He turned when he heard her touch down behind him, raising a brow before approaching him.

"You choose to have me as your company rather than your friends?" She asked.

"Well... I mean, I just... wanted to let you know you can stay with us if you want... don't feel left out." Jack said.

"You need not tell me this; you forget, you are in MY domain." Emily smirked a bit.

Jack rolled his eyes. "So... not into the whole... fighting thing, are you?"

"Do you think I cannot fend for myself?" Emily asked, waving her hand for a moment to produce a small burst of snow flurries, covering the ground before melting into water. "You see? I can control winter elements as well. I have more power than you or the mortal queen."

Jack made a face. "Emily... I may not be the most powerful out there... but I don't have to, to make a difference, to protect my friends." He looked up at her. "So even if you do have all these powers, all you do is keep yourself cooped up here. What good are they?"

Emily blinked a bit, turning away from him for a moment to wave her hand, a vine emerging from the ground and sprouting flowers. "You know... I was like you once, Jack. I was... wild, carefree... resisted authority... and elders." She shot him a look. "Yes, though I may not look it, I am far older than you are."

"So, what happened? What's stopping you now?" Jack asked.

"I lost everything. My mother was killed, and my father... my eyes were opened to who he truly was." Emily replied.

"Emily, what happened to Pitch- your dad... it wasn't his fault... he was-"

"You need not tell me what I already know." Emily said. "Do you know why I resent him so?" Emily asked, and Jack shook his head. "When mother was killed... she held a doll in her arms resembling me to prevent the dream pirates from pursuing me. When father found her... he thought I too, had perished. I realized that my father had so little faith in me..."

"But... how could he expect you to survive, you were a kid." Jack said, and Emily shook her head.

"If he had taken but a moment to grieve... to weep over my beautiful mother's body... he would have seen the doll and known I was still alive. He would have known everything. The fact that he did not even make that final connection with her... he was dark before the dream pirates overtook him. I realized that the man who I thought had a heart of gold, who had been the inspiration for my hopes and dreams... it was a farce. His heart is weak." She looked over at Jack. "And his mortal queen shall also suffer, as do all others whose lives are touched by him."

Jack exhaled slowly, surprising Emily when he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It may not seem like a long time to you... but for three hundred years, I wandered around wondering who I was and why I was here. It was until the guardians gave me the opportunity that I finally found happiness. If you have as much power as you say... then you have the power to change what brings you down." He gave her a nod before turning to head back to the rest of the group. His words, to Emily's shock, held substance and reason for self-reflection.

"You are indeed bold, Jack Frost..." Emily whispered to herself.

As Alice and Sandy were drawing out plans in the ground with a stick, Vanellope had a thought.

"Hey! Can't we just make another beacon and burn Turbo to a crisp?" She asked.

"Knowing the Queen, she probably already knows Turbo's greatest weaknesses and has found solutions to prevent his downfall. Otherwise, she wouldn't still have him among her ranks." Alice replied.

"Ralph here can beat anybody." Vanellope smiled. "He went against a whole swarm of cybugs!"

"I appreciate that, kid, but those guys back there were a little different than cybugs…" Ralph said.

"Believe me, Ralph's strength will come in handy… but that doesn't mean that they still won't give us a hard time." Alice said.

Vanellope sighed, laying back so she could stare up at the treetops. "You think that we won't be hobos one day, Ralph?"

"I- wha- we are not hobos!" Ralph exclaimed.

"We're all hobos right now, Ralph… but you and I have always been." Vanellope replied.

Ralph cleared his throat, coughing into his hand as he quickly glanced over at Elsa. "N- Now excuse me, young lady, Elsa happens to be a queen! A- And that is no way to talk about her that way!"

Pitch rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as Elsa chuckled lightly. "Vanellope, why don't you and I take a walk?" Elsa suggested. "I can see how boring this can be for a child."

Vanellope sat up, smiling. "Finally, someone with some smarts around here!" She hopped off the rock she was resting on, following Elsa as she rose to her feet. Vanellope glanced back as Ralph watched them, snickering a bit.

Pitch watched Ralph stare after Elsa, narrowing his eyes as he wielded his scythe to rear it back. Upon hearing Bunny clear his throat, he shot the Easter guardian a look as he shook his head. Pitch groaned, glancing back at Ralph, resolving to simply poke Ralph's head with the weapon.

"Ow! Hey, what gives?" Ralph exclaimed as he rubbed his head.

"Eyes over here." Pitch said as the weapon disappeared.

Ralph blinked, rolling his eyes. "You know, I do have giant fists that can punch through buildings, right pal?"

Pitch leaned in, raising a brow. "Try me."

"Both of you cease your bickering otherwise you will both be at my mercy." Alice glared at both of them before resuming her plans with Sandy.

Ralph raised his brows at this. "She's… kidding, right?"

"Believe me from experiences, Ralph…" Pitch started. "… you do not want to be the source of her anger."

* * *

 **Isn't that the truth! Going to leave it here for now; I'm sure you all had giggles at some of the more amusing moments in this story- I hope you are liking everything so far! Stay tuned for upcoming characters and thank you for reading!**


	11. Stress Changing Relationships

**Good evening readers! It's the start to another week so here is a new chapter! There will be some dramatic and funny moments here, so please sit back and enjoy! Thank you to those who have read and reviewed!**

* * *

The Queen slammed a fist down upon the throne made for her by the monkey minions at Maharaja's command.

"Why aren't they instigating us yet?!" The Queen growled.

"Your highness, from what you have told me about our other enemies and what I know of Elsa, they are a group of introverts. Give them time, they will come to us." Hans replied. "In the meantime, I can figure out something to entice them if you wish."

"Ralph is no introvert, the guy sticks his oversized fingers into everyone's business! I'm surprised he hasn't trampled half that forest under his gigantic feet." Turbo commented. "But I'm with you, queenie, I'm getting claustrophobic with all these cybugs cooped up in here."

"Toothiana khödölgöönd yamar negen üzegdel, tany Erkhem?" Maharaja asked.

"Hm..." The Queen closed her eyes, concentrating deeply. "It seems she is still taking refuge somewhere in the tundra..."

"Toothiana emzeg baikhad bid tend dovtolj baikh yostoi!" Maharaja exclaimed.

"Because we don't know what will be awaiting us there… Alice may very well be keeping an eye on our movements as well… we don't want any surprises just yet." The Queen replied. "Besides… there is something that I am working on in the meantime that will set everything into motion if Alice and her allies don't first."

"They will not leave the sanctuary of the forest without reason." The Phoenix said. "So if that is what you are waiting for, you may as well wait for all eternity."

"If everything goes smoothly… then they shall soon have a very, very important reason to come out of the forest… we will finally begin this chess game." The Queen said.

"Yeah well it would be nice if these cybugs would go smoothly… HEY!" Turbo shouted to one, the cybug in the middle of attempting to eat a monkey minion. "Spit him out now!" The cybug obeyed, whining lightly as it skittered away.

Hans went off on his own, going into a secluded area to think. "What could she be planning…?" He thought to himself as he walked around. He glanced back when he heard the sound of the others resuming their training, weapon making and structure building, knowing he did not have much time to himself to think. He stopped suddenly when he noticed a small puddle of blood, looking around quickly to make sure the coast was clear. He peered into the puddle, seeing nothing out of the ordinary at first. He then noticed a small disturbance, rippling originating from the middle. Hans narrowed his eyes a bit, extending his hand to ignite the puddle. When he did, the flames took on a deep red color, the center swirling a bit. "Show me… Elsa…" Hans said, not exactly knowing why, but he decided that it was his intuition that made him do so. His eyes widened when the swirling formed a flickering image of the queen in question, making him gasp lightly. He observed her walking in the forest alongside a small child, smiling and chuckling as the child skipped around the trees and sometimes seemed to teleport short distances.

Before he could observe any further, he felt himself being hoisted up, the Queen forcibly planting him on his feet as she waved a hand, the flames dying and the blood being absorbed back into herself. She raised a brow as Hans stared at her somewhat fearfully. He stammered a bit, the Queen clicking her tongue as she waved her index finger back and forth. "Someone's eyes has been wandering… rest assured, anything you need to know shall be expressed by myself. Nothing shall happen here in this mountain without my knowledge. We each have enemies we desperately wish to taste the death of… I wish for the death of Alice… Maharaja wishes for the death of Toothiana… the Phoenix wishes for the death of the forest nymph… Turbo for the… "glitch-child…" and you and I both for Elsa."

Hans nodded, clearing his throat. "I apologize, your highness… I couldn't control my eagerness… as well as the desire to discover the extent of my abilities."

"Fret not, Hans… hold off that eagerness for a little longer. When we face our enemies, unleash it then, and our ambition will pay off." The Queen answered, dismissing Hans to go back to the others and join them in their efforts. When he did so, she glanced at the spot where the blood puddle has been previously, raising a brow. "He's a smart young man… perhaps too smart." She said to herself.

* * *

Eliza tilted her head curiously, a soft, red glow illuminating her face as she held the transparent box on her hands that she found in the meadow the day before. Her eyes were transfixed on it, able to see the glowing aura from inside but could not figure out how to open it. She gasped lightly when she heard footsteps approaching, quickly hiding the box before jumping to her feet. The door opened then, the child beaming as Wick peeked in.

"Wick!" Eliza beamed, running up to him and hugging him tightly. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too!" He hugged her back. "Say, have you seen Elsa?"

Eliza frowned then. "She went with Jack and Alice to go fight the Queen."

"Oh…" Wick frowned. "I wish he would have told me that when he told us about the Monkey King."

Eliza blinked, taking a step back as she looked up at him. "Wait… Jack… you saw him?"

Before Wick could answer, North shouting his name came from down the corridor.

"Wick! I told you not to stray!" He appeared in the doorway then. "Hello, little Eliza! I am sorry, but we cannot stay long-"

"Did Jack come see you? What did he say?" Eliza asked.

"Do not worry, Jack and Alice are perfectly fine! Wick here needs to help me with some grown up stuff, so he is going to say goodbye now, yes?" North replied.

"Aww, okay… bye Eliza." Wick snuck in one more hug. "We'll play pirates again next time I come back!" He whispered before following North.

As they left, Eliza gasped lightly as a snow globe fell out of North's pocket, the girl quickly catching it and hugging it to her chest. She stared at it, frowning lightly.

"Jack visited the workshop… why won't they visit me?" Eliza frowned. She went into her room, placing the snow globe inside and taking the box back out, staring at it intently.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the dining hall, North, Wick and Tooth joined Merida, Hiccup, Rapunzel, Eugene, Anna and Kristoff as they all spoke.

"… we are going to be relocating to Tooth's Palace; with the Monkey King alive, she is in terrible danger." North said.

"What about the workshop?" Hiccup asked.

"Well, the Yetis can keep things up and running; if anyone tries to attack, Phil has his own stash of snow globes with which to reach me by." North replied. "It would not be ideal for us to stay in Tooth's Palace, but we have nowhere to bring all of her fairies and the teeth."

"I can't just abandon them… " Tooth said. "If my fairies are going down, I'm going down with them."

"Hm…" Rapunzel tapped her chin. "I have the perfect place for you to hide!" She beamed. "You can stay in my old home in Corona! It's a large tower that's a three day's journey to the next town… it doesn't have any other huge defense systems other than being really secluded… but maybe the Queen won't be able to find it."

"I thought the Queen had that special locating ability though?" Merida asked.

"Only if she's actually physically seen the person or place, though. If she's never been there, she can't see it." Hiccup replied.

"Well, I don't see why that can't work, I think it's a great temporary solution!" Tooth beamed.

"Very well then; Rapunzel, I thank you for this." North smiled.

"No problem! Use it as long as you like." She smiled, turning to scoop Pascal into her hand. "Can you go with them and help them keep an eye on things?"

The small chameleon glanced back at Baby Tooth, who squeaked lightly and waved at him. He turned to Rapunzel, smiling at her and nodding.

"What about you guys, though? What if the Queen comes here?" Wick asked, frowning a bit. "She's pretty mean…"

"Don't worry, we've got a whole kingdom full of guards, as well as the dynamic duo here!" Anna replied, motioning to Merida and Hiccup.

As they spoke among themselves, Eliza finally emerged from her bedroom, feeling a bit hungry as she descended the stairs. "Olaf?" She called out, glancing around. "Olaf? Where are you?" She stopped when she heard giggling outside, peeking out to see Olaf having fun with Toothless as the dragon pranced around. She furrowed her brows a bit, going outside and clearing her throat. The two turned, Toothless chirping to her and Olaf giggling a bit. "I'm a bit famished, why don't we go inside and have a bite to eat?" She asked.

"Okay! I just want to finish playing this game with Toothless…" Olaf said, the dragon holding his paws out in front of him, Olaf scratching his head. "Hm… that one!" He pointed to Toothless' left paw, the dragon emitting a guttural laugh as he lifted it to reveal Olaf's carrot nose. The snowman laughed, clapping his hands. "I want to do it again!"

Eliza frowned then, her vision blurring a bit as her fingertips held the sides of her head. She bit her lip, shaking her head as she ran back inside, bounding up the stairs. The subtle whispers got louder as she forced the drawer open in her room, the box inside glowing. Her hands shook as she tried to open it, but to no avail. She grit her teeth, shoving the box back in the drawer and slamming it shut. She sighed heavily as she whirled around, the adults finishing up their conversation. North, Tooth and Wick went to Corona by snow globe with Rapunzel to help them get set up there. Eliza came down, sitting at the table when she realized they were gone.

"Where did Wick go?" She asked, looking around.

"Oh, they went to Corona, Tooth needs to move her fairies there so they can stay safe from the Monkey King." Hiccup answered.

Eliza stared at him as a servant placed a plate down before her, becoming uneasy. "Tooth was here?"

"Yeah, she's going to be relieved once she's all settled in." Hiccup replied, taking another bite from his own plate.

"Hey… are you okay, Eliza?" Eugene asked.

"No… no I'm not alright." She answered, clutching the hem of her dress with her hands. "She didn't even say hello to me… Wick didn't say goodbye…"

"Well, they were in a bit of a hurry, ye ken?" Merida said. "Next time I see them I'll tell them ye miss them, hm?"

"Don't trouble yourself over it, they don't give a care." Eliza answered, sticking her fork into her food angrily as she ate. The remaining adults glanced at each other, Kristoff clearing his throat.

"Hey, Eliza… if you're upset about something, you can go and rest if you want… you can talk about it with us when we finish up." Kristoff said, glancing at Anna as she smiled lightly and gave him a nod.

"Fine, I will!" Eliza exclaimed, throwing her fork down as she stormed out of the dining hall. Shocked, Anna nudged Kristoff as Merida and Hiccup got up, Kristoff following them as Eliza ran up the stairs. When she got to the top, Olaf was there.

"Oh, hey Eliza! We can have something to eat now if you want!" He said.

"I don't want to eat now, I want to be alone!" She exclaimed, trying to get past him, but Olaf tried to keep her in place when he became concerned.

"Eliza! Hey, what's going on?" Hiccup asked as they started to head up the stairs.

Eliza glanced back, whimpering as she felt pain in the sides of her head again. She glared at Olaf, trying to get past him.

"Move out of my way!" She shouted, grabbing his nose and tossing it back towards the stairs. "Now you can have more fun playing games without me!" She stormed past him, about to reach her room when she felt Kristoff hold her arm, whirling around to glare at him.

"Eliza, what are you doing?" He asked, frowning deeply.

"I'm doing what you told me to do!" Eliza screamed, struggling out of his hold.

"So you yell at your friend and push him around? Eliza, this isn't like you!" Kristoff exclaimed.

"No one cares about what I want! Everyone can go or do as they please, and I am confined here like a doll!" Eliza screamed as she stormed in the bedroom, opening the drawer and taking the box out. "Open! Open right now!"

"What is that thing?" Hiccup asked as he entered the room behind Kristoff, approaching Eliza. "Hey, let me see that-"

"Don't you touch it, it's mine!" Eliza screamed, shaking the box. "Open now!"

"Little lass, you better hand that over and tell us what's on your mind, screaming is only going to strain ye temper worse!" Merida said. "You're too old to be throwing a tantrum like this!"

"Why?! I'm the one who found it! Can't I have something of my own, can't I make my own choices like everyone else?!" Eliza exclaimed.

"Eliza, we're just trying to keep you safe, okay? Now just let me see it and then you can have it right back." Hiccup said, extending his hand.

Eliza's lips tightened, shoving past them to head back down the corridor. She went into the drawing room, slamming the door behind her as the others followed. Inside, she shook the box violently, causing it to glow brighter. "I said open!" She screamed, gasping when it finally did, just a crack, a bit of the glowing aura inside seeping out as Eliza breathed it in. She dropped the box, whimpering as the sides of her head began to hurt more than ever.

"I've never seen her so angry…" Hiccup breathed.

"We've got to calm that lass down, figure out what's bothering her so much!" Merida exclaimed, about to open the door to the drawing room when a blood curdling scream erupted from inside. They all gasped, flinging the door open.

Eliza's back was facing them as she stared into a mirror, the group of adults staring in horror as horns began to grow out of the sides of her head. Hiccup ran inside, grabbing the box and looking at it briefly before approaching Eliza with the others. When she saw in the mirror that he had taken her box, she whirled around, trying to grab it from him. Kristoff separated them, Eugene and Anna entering the room then as Hiccup handed the object to Anna to take downstairs. Eliza shoved past them, all horrified by the horns growing out of her head.

"Which one of you has it?!" She screamed. "Which one of you has my box?!" She saw Hiccup then, shrieking as she lunged at him, scratching and clawing the air as Kristoff had to hold her back. Merida helped him to hold her down, Anna staring in horror as Hiccup shook his head.

"What are we going to do?!" Kristoff shouted.

Merida scrambled for ideas, biting her lip. "Put her in her room and lock the door and hope that this passes!"

She and Kristoff managed to drag the screaming, thrashing girl into her bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it. Eliza pounded and kicked the door from the inside.

"Let me out! Let me out of here!" She screamed from within.

Downstairs, Eugene stared at the box on the table, soon joined by the others as shock set in. They all stared at it, Merida narrowing her eyes.

"I don't like that thing one bit." She said lowly.

"Where did she even get this?" Anna asked, still horrified by what had just transpired.

"I have no idea… but I know someone who might." Hiccup said, making his way to the stables. "Toothless, Sven! We need a word with you!"

"Uh..." Eugene raised a brow as Kristoff followed Hiccup outside. "... so what do we do about Eliza?" He asked.

"Wait until Rapunzel gets back... then we'll decide..." Anna sighed, glancing at the box. "Can't we get rid of that thing? It gives me a bad feeling."

"After we take care of Eliza, Hiccup and I should try to find the other guardians and see if they know anything about it..." Merida sighed. "For now, we have to wait for that lass to tire herself out."

"We can't wait that long, Merida… we need answers now. Eugene, take this snow globe and go to Rapunzel's tower in Corona. Show them this... box... and see if they know anything about it." Anna requested.

Eugene raised a brow, groaning lightly. "Okay..." He sighed, Anna having to help him with the snow globe. Once in Corona, he approached the tower, cupping a hand around his mouth. "Rapunzel? Rapunzel!"

Her head poked out then, looking around before seeing her husband. "Aww, did you miss me that much?" Rapunzel giggled.

"Yes, can you help me up there, please? I need to speak to the uh, guardians about something!" Eugene shouted back.

"Is everything okay?" Rapunzel asked.

"Not really!" Eugene answered.

Tooth and Wick were made aware of his arrival, each helping him up to the tower. He dusted himself off before taking out the box in question. "Do any of you know what this is?"

Tooth told her fairies to continue organizing the teeth cases, she, Wick and North each inspecting the box.

"I have never seen anything like this before..." North answered. "Where did you find this?"

"I didn't find it, Eliza did, and we think this is what made her go completely off the wall!" Eugene exclaimed.

"Wait, what? Eliza? Is she okay?" Rapunzel frowned.

"Not really, she was screaming and kicking and horns were growing out of her head and-"

"That sounds scary! Eliza isn't supposed to be scary! Why would you give her a box like that?!" Wick exclaimed.

"I didn't GIVE it to her..." Eugene said flatly.

"We must alert the others. I will go to them, you may all stay here and continue to help Tooth get set up." North said, taking out a snow globe and whispering to it. He was about to cast it down, but it bounced about, resisting to create a portal. "What the... it is not working!"

"Hm... let me see, North." Tooth inspected it, gasping lightly. "North, they're in Emily Jane's forest... we won't be get to them!"

"Then there is one thing to do... they must come to us. I will be back shortly, I must take quick stop at the workshop!" North said, taking the snow globe and casting it down, going to the tundra instead.

Eugene sighed, letting his head hang forward. "How do I get myself into these things…?" He groaned as Rapunzel lightly rubbed his back.

* * *

"… and when I went through the tunnel, I was the only one to make the jump WAY across the chasm while everyone else landed in the pudding!" Vanellope was chattering away, skipping and glitching around Elsa as she walked calmly among the trees.

"That's wonderful." Elsa replied; she couldn't say she really understood the concepts of racing and aspects of the arcade as Vanellope did, but she listened nonetheless and tried to take interest in the child's words. "It seems you have a special talent with what you do, Vanellope."

The child frowned then, sighing as she hopped on a rock to sit, swinging her feet. "Yeah right… everyone thinks that the players are going to say the game is broken because of me… that I wasn't even supposed to even BE in the game… I'm just some manufacturing mistake or whatever…" Vanellope glitched up a bit, sighing as she looked at her hands.

"You are not a mistake, Vanellope." Elsa sat next to her, taking her hand to look at her palm. "You have a special gift."

"Pfft! A 'special gift?' All I do is mess up and make everyone hate me… you have no idea what it's like being stuck in some mountain living like a little hobo." Vanellope frowned.

"Actually… I do. When I was your age… I hurt someone I loved with my own powers… everyone was also afraid of me, and many didn't like me either." Elsa said.

"Wait a minute, you're not from a game, how can you be a glitch?" Vanellope asked.

Elsa shook her head. "I have a power too, Vanellope." Elsa waved her hand, a burst of snow ascending from it. She made ice formations on the ground and a small snow cloud. Vanellope watched with awe, her eyes widening.

"Woah! You can make snow!" She laughed. "You would LOVE the slopes! It always snows there, and there's TONS of ice cream!"

"I do love ice cream…" Elsa smiled lightly. "Vanellope, for a long time, I was also treated badly because I was different. But believe me, your powers do not make you a bad person. You have every right to be happy and accepted as the other racers do."

Vanellope smiled sadly. "Thanks, Elsa… you know, you're pretty nice, like Ralph… although, he can sometimes be a real air head."

Elsa laughed a bit at that. "He does seem to care about you very much."

"Hey! Maybe we can be best friends! I don't have any back in Sugar Rush, and sometimes, as much as Ralph tries, he just doesn't understand everything us girls do. I mean… if you want to be friends with me…" Vanellope said.

"I would love that." Elsa felt that she had a lot in common with this child despite their different upbringings and environments; she wished she had the bravery Vanellope had when she was her age, and it was something she admired about the little girl.

"Awesome! Okay, we've got to do a pinky swear on it, then." Vanellope said as she stood up on the rock.

Elsa tilted her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not quite familiar with what that is."

"It's really easy. When you make a promise with someone, you curl your pinkies together like this." Vanellope showed with her hands. "This way, you can't break the promise, ever! When Ralph and I first made a deal with each other, I decided to shake hands with him instead because there was NO way I was gonna be able to do a pinkie swear with his giant finger."

Elsa chuckled lightly. "Alright then. Why don't you start?"

"Okay!" Vanellope cleared her throat, standing straight. "I, Vanellope VonSchweetz, promise to be your best friend, and yell at any stupid dumb-dumb heads who mess with you. Do you promise to be my best friend and always stick by me like chewed bubble gum to hair?" She held her pinkie out, smiling.

Elsa giggled a bit, nodding and imitating Vanellope with her pinkie. "Yes, I'll be your best friend."

They pinkie swore, and Vanellope took Elsa off guard when she hopped over, hugging the ice queen. "Thanks, Elsa."

Elsa slowly hugged the child back, smiling lightly. "You're welcome, Vanellope."

Just then, Elsa glanced up as she noticed something past the vast treetops towering above them. "What is that…?" She asked quietly, Vanellope turning and looking up to see what Elsa had spotted; a beautiful array of lights dancing across the sky like a blanket of silk.

"I dunno… it's pretty though! Reminds me of the sunsets in Sugar Rush… like a big orange gusher in the sky…" Vanellope mused.

"We should go alert the others." Elsa said, getting to her feet and ushering Vanellope to head back with her.

Meanwhile, Emily peeked out from behind a tree, tilting her head curiously as she watched Bunny painting an egg. He decided that he may as well try to get some work done while he was here, and Emily had been busy maintaining the forest when she spotted him. Something made her stop to silently observe him; maybe it was it was his dedication, his focus, something she too had with her domain. Perhaps it was the care he took, each paint stroke holding significance.

 _"If you have as much power as you say... then you have the power to change what brings you down."_

Jack's words to her echoed in her mind, shutting her eyes tightly as she shook her head.

She always took a particular interest in the guardians; they were after all, Sandy's closest friends, even to this day. However, before now, she couldn't be bothered to actually go forward with that interest, she had no reason to. Also, becoming emotionally attached would compromise the oath of neutrality she took many centuries ago.

Even now, she could feel it breaking.

The sound of Bunny groaning in aggravation snapped her out of her thoughts, sighing as he placed the egg aside. She heard him mutter something about running out of yellow paint, making Emily purse her lips. She slowly approached him, making him glance over at her unsurely as she raised a brow at him. She then turned silently, waving her hands as she began to conjure a flower out of the ground, swirling her hands as it grew several feet. Its petals finally burst open to reveal a vibrant golden yellow hue, its color collecting inside it like dew. She plucked a leaf, concaved like a pitcher, collecting the colored liquid inside and placing it beside Bunny.

"That should be enough to last for some time." Emily finally spoke, glancing up at him.

Bunny blinked in surprise, smiling a bit. "Hey, thanks." He replied.

"You're welcome." Emily replied, not quite smiling completely as she turned to walk away.

Bunny watched after her, extending a hand. "W- Wait, Em… do you want to, I dunno… stay and help me paint? I have a lot of little googies to get ready for next Easter… I could use an extra pair of hands."

Pitch had been taking a relaxing stroll, stopping when he heard Bunny and Emily talking. He hid behind a tree a small distance from them, listening intently.

Emily was about to reply when she sensed another presence near them. She discreetly glanced to the side, exhaling when she sensed her father was near.

Herein rested her problem she had been reflecting upon earlier.

Deep down, Emily wished she had a family, loved ones, companions, like the guardians did, that she could be loved and appreciated. However, she knew anything she did would be observed, judged, by her father. She knew that she would be in the middle of any conflict he chose to make, even now, and it was something she did not want to deal with.

Deep down, she still had an inkling of love for her father… or was it the idea of him she had an inkling of love for? The ignorant bliss of childhood she lost so long ago, where she had not a care in the world for consequences and ill-made choices?

She straightened her spine, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Bunnymund… I cannot. I have things to attend to." She replied, whisking herself away before the Easter guardian could respond.

Bunny frowned a bit, shrugging to himself. He knew he must have been mistaken, but he thought he may have seen a hint of regret in Emily's eyes… he wondered if after all these centuries, if he really knew the girl at all, if there was more to her than she was letting off.

Alice got to her feet, dusting off her dress as she and Sandy finished discussing their plans. "I must say, Sandy, you are quite knowledgeable." She commented.

Sandy responded by smiling and giving her a nod, forming a sand hat that he tipped at her. Alice chuckled lightly at this, conjuring her umbrella to open it, curtseying to him.

"Alright, alright, I think you two have spent more than enough time together…" Jack rolled his eyes as he walked over with Ralph.

"Hey, have you guys seen Vanellope? She's been with Elsa for a while… I don't want her to say anything about anything…" Ralph said.

Jack blinked, glancing at Ralph. "Wait, what?"

"Oh, you know, kids, they say the darnest things! You're one of those guardian people you guys told me about, you know the deal…" Ralph chuckled nervously, waving his hand.

Before Jack could reply, Elsa and Vanellope returned right on cue, the child tugging on Ralph's pant leg. "Hey Ralph, you've GOT to see what Elsa can do!"

"Jack, do you have any idea what that could be?" Elsa asked in the meantime, pointing towards the sky.

Bunny was heading back to the main area as well, Pitch following close behind. Before he could say anything to Bunny however, he too glanced up.

"Hey Jack, that's North's signal, from the pole…" Bunny said.

"Why wouldn't he just come to us if he needed something? This is not a very discreet method to reach out to us." Alice asked.

"Because he was not given permission to enter here from my daughter." Pitch said, making them all turn to look at him. "I think there are enough people bothering her from her daily tasks." He glanced at Bunny warily for a moment, taking a step forward.

"So why not ask her to let them in then?" Vanellope asked.

"Because this is not your place to say who is allowed in it and who is not." Pitch replied.

"Well, some of us actually LIKE making friends, mister!" Vanellope put her hands on her hips.

"ALRIGHT." Alice held her hands up. "Sandy, take a snow globe and go see what North requires of us, report back when you can." She handed him a snow globe, the dream guardian more than eager as he thought he was going to see Tooth again. He gave a small wave to everyone before casting the snow globe down, entering the portal. "Jack, if you don't mind, I would like to go over these plans with you." Alice said.

"Fine with me." Jack shrugged, crouching down as Alice sat on her knees beside him, pointing out her and Sandy's drawings with a stick.

Vanellope strolled over, glitching in front of Pitch as he tried to walk away. "Hey, you're kind of Elsa's boyfriend, right?"

Pitch raised a brow, rolling his eyes. "I don't have to share any of my personal business with you."

"Well, you kind of do, because Elsa and I are best friends now. So we have to know everything about each other!" Vanellope smirked.

"Tell me, child, are you always so obnoxious?" Pitch asked with frustration.

"Are YOU such a grouchy pants every day of your life?" Vanellope responded.

"Get out of the way, girl!" Pitch shouted.

"I have a name, it's Vanellope, mister Boogerman!" She crossed her arms.

"Either way, remove yourself from my path!" Pitch waved his hands. "And it's BOOGEYMAN, you imbecile!"

"Listen, buster. We're stuck in this rut together, so we're going to have to get along somehow." Vanellope said, tapping her foot.

"Oh, very well… as soon as this is all over, I shall have the pleasure of never seeing you or your oversized ogre friend ever again." Pitch pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hey! My 'ogre' friend is a better guy than you are!" Vanellope smirked then. "I bet I can get Elsa to dump you for him."

Pitch nearly choked, his eyes widening. "I- what- you have NO idea what dangers you are treading upon, you little goblin!"

"Oh yeah? Want to bet on it? Sure, Ralph is a klutz, and he's still washing thirty years of grime off of him from living in the dump for so long… but give it time, my secret is vanilla-mint shampoo. Irresistible to the ladies! Oh, and he's super strong and he does try his best to be nice… unlike you!" Vanellope said.

"I will continue this conversation not a moment longer!" Pitch waved his hands again, trying to storm past her.

"Okay, but there should be no surprises when Elsa breaks up with you!" Vanellope shouted.

"She will do nothing of the sort!" Pitch shouted behind him.

"Yes she will!" Vanellope shouted back.

"No she won't!"

"Sure she will!"

"I swear, if you don't-"

"Elsa and Ralph are sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G-"

"Oh, when I get my hands on you!" Pitch growled, about to grab her when she glitched behind him, taking a pebble and throwing it, hitting the back of his head. He whirled his head, Vanellope blowing a raspberry at him and laughing. He tried to grab her again, when she glitched away for a second time. He looked all over, becoming angrier by the second.

"Hey, up here, stupid!" Vanellope shouted, sitting on a tree branch above him. She laughed when he clenched his fists with boiling hot rage. "If I could avoid being caught by some superstar racer, what makes you think you stand a chance, huh?"

"You had better come down here this instant and receive your punishment!" Pitch shouted.

"Ooo, what are you going to do, bore me to death with some not-so-scary story?" Vanellope rolled her eyes.

Pitch narrowed his eyes, floating up to the tree branch. "You will pay for ever messing with me, little girl!" He was about to snatch her off the tree branch, when Vanellope stared at him flatly, suddenly bursting into fake tears.

"Elsa! Elsa, your boyfriend is trying to scare me!" Vanellope shouted.

"I- what are you- stop that at once!" Pitch choked.

"Elsaaaaa!" Vanellope whined, trying to hold back a giggle when she approached.

"Pitch, what are you doing?!" Elsa exclaimed, hugging Vanellope when she glitched down to her.

The Nightmare King pointed at the raven haired girl. "That child is the most disrespectful, rowdy-"

"Pitch, she's just a little girl! She's already been through so much, how could you frighten her like this?" Elsa frowned. "Just leave her alone, you've done quite enough. You need to think about your actions."

"E- Elsa, I was just trying to be friends with h- him, and he was all mean and stuff…" Vanellope faked hiccupping as she wiped away fake tears.

"Shh… it's alright, I'll take you back to see Ralph." Elsa said, shooting Pitch an angry look before turning to walk away. Vanellope rested her head on Elsa's shoulder, looking back at Pitch and smirking, sticking her tongue out at him without Elsa seeing. Pitch's mouth hung open, his eye twitching a bit as he realized that he was just outsmarted by a nine-year-old.

* * *

 **Oh boy, it seems that Pitch has met his match! Meanwhile, what does the Queen have in store? What is happening to Eliza, and how will she turn out? More to come in future chapters, so stay tuned and have a good night!**


	12. Taking Daring Steps

**Good evening, readers! Last time we left off, we saw the feared Nightmare King become outsmarted by little Vanellope! Be prepared, we have a small battle in this chapter, nothing too big yet, to get things heated up as well as some more drama. Make sure you're comfy, and enjoy!**

* * *

Sandy arrived at the pole, waving to Phil to let him inside. Once he did, he quickly found North, a sand image of a question mark forming above his head to ask North what was going on.

"Sandy, I am sorry I had to call you like this… but I have no other way of reaching you, the snow globe will not work to get to Emily's forest." North said.

After a moment of thought, Sandy shrugged, before communicating that Emily hadn't allowed North in because he wasn't with the rest of the group originally.

"Yes, it is what Tooth and I deduced earlier…" North replied.

Sandy perked up at the mention of Tooth, asking where she was.

"She is with Rapunzel, it is safer for her to be in an unknown location so it is harder for the Queen and the Monkey King to find her." North replied.

Sandy let his head fall back, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"I am sorry, Sandy… I know you miss her, but it's important that she is safe." North said, lightly patting Sandy's shoulder. He nodded, before asking why North had tried to reach out to them.

"Ah, yes… hold on one moment." He said, holding up a finger before rummaging through his pocket to produce the small, oddly shaped box in question. "Do you have any idea what this could be? Where it came from?" He asked, handing it to Sandy.

The dream guardian looked it over, pursing his lips and shaking his head. He then questioned where North got it from.

"Eugene brought it to us from Arendelle. Apparently, little Eliza was the one who found it, and it was making her act strangely. It is important to learn all we can about it; it could be an attack from the Queen." North said.

Sandy gave him a nod before asking if he could take the box back with him to see if any of the others knew anything about it.

"Yes, by all means." North said before crouching down, placing a hand on Sandy's shoulder. "Please tell the others to be careful. Call upon us if you need help."

Sandy smiled lightly, giving North a nod. He then took out a second snow globe, backing up as he cast it down to head back to the forest. Once there, he found Jack and Alice, waving his hands at them to get their attention.

"Well, that was quick…" Jack said, he and Alice getting to their feet.

"What did they say?" Alice asked.

Jack glanced at Alice as they communicated telepathically, Alice narrowing her eyes a bit. "Show me." She finally said aloud.

Sandy nodded, producing the box and handing it to Alice. The moment her eyes rested on the object, they widened, glancing between him and the box. "Where in the bloody hell did she find this?!" She shouted, garnering some attention from anyone standing within earshot.

"Alice, what's the matter?" Jack asked.

"Hey..." Bunny said, walking over. "... everything alright?"

Alice held a hand up as Sandy continued to communicate with him. "Eugene brought this to them...?" She glanced at Jack for a moment before looking back at Sandy. "Find him."

Sandy groaned, holding his hands out before crossing his arms. He was taken by surprise when Alice grabbed the dream guardian by his collar, his eyes widening as he held his hands up.

"Do you have ANY idea what this is? Any of you?" She glanced around briefly. "I thought not. Fine. I will find the answers I require myself. This..." She held the box up. "... stays with me." She let go of Sandy, striding quickly over to grab a snow globe, speaking to it briefly before casting down and disappearing in an instant.

"Woah... whatever you said to her, you rubbed her fur the wrong way, mate." Bunny said as Sandy composed himself, blowing out a puff of air inaudibly.

"What was that thing... and why did that set her off so much...?" Jack asked, mostly to himself, biting his lip in concern.

* * *

Toothless and Sven both bowed their heads as Hiccup and Kristoff finished lecturing them about Eliza. Feeling terrible for what happened and that they were the cause, Sven grunted to Toothless lightly, nodding his head towards the palace door. Toothless grumbled back, motioning to Hiccup and Kristoff. The reindeer glanced around, motioning for Toothless to follow him as they headed out of the stable area.

Meanwhile, Hiccup and Kristoff headed back into the dining area where Anna and Merida were.

"Well, we gave Toothless and Sven a good talking to..." Hiccup said as he sat. "Where's Eugene?"

"He went to see the guardians in Corona to find out more about the box." Anna replied, rubbing the sides of her head.

"Okay..." Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. "What a mess..."

"Should we check on Eliza?" Kristoff asked.

Before any of them could answer, they all gasped as someone appeared in the room. They turned to see it was Alice, everyone getting to their feet.

"Alice, what are you doing here?" Anna asked.

"We need to talk." Alice replied.

"Oh boy... never a good thing when Alice needs to talk..." Hiccup gulped.

As Alice sat to discuss things with the small group, Eliza took in deep breaths as the effects of the aura from the box began to wear off. She shakily opened her drawer, taking out the snow globe inside. "Show me Alice..." She whispered to it. Her eyes widened when she saw she was just downstairs, almost dropping the snow globe. "No... I have to save this so I can see them..." She said to herself, running over to the door to open it, only to discover to her horror that it was locked. "Alice!" She began to pound on the door. "Alice, let me out!"

Sven and Toothless tiptoed through the palace, moving quickly past the dining hall. Toothless accidentally knocked over a vase with his tail, wincing as Sven looked back, signalling to him to just keep moving. They clumsily made their way up the stairs, surprising a few servants as they made their way to the bedroom corridor. Toothless flickered his ears as he heard Eliza crying from inside her bedroom, the two quickening their pace as they stopped outside her room. Sven grunted, lightly scratching at the door with his hoof to let her know they were there.

"Sven?" Eliza called. "Sven, Alice is here, please let me out! I want to see her! The door is locked!"

The reindeer nodded, nudging at the door before motioning Toothless to come over; his paws were more flexible and able to grab onto things. The dragon sat on his behind, sticking out his tongue in concentration as he tried to turn the handle. When it resisted, Sven looked closer and realized that there was a keyhole. He whimpered, grunting to Toothless they would need a key to open the door. Toothless gave him a flat look, tightening his grip around the door handle as he grit his teeth.

Downstairs, Merida's eyes widened. "No wonder the little lass was acting like a she-demon..."

"This is a rage box. I encountered them the first time I faced off against the Queen in Wonderland; if you think that bloody mass of tentacles looks like a horror now, you should have seen her then. Do any of you have any idea where Eliza found this?" Alice asked with a serious tone.

"Sven said she found it when they snuck out into the meadow the other day... they saw it from far away and when she fell, she must have snuck it back with her somehow." Kristoff said.

"... I'm sorry, did you say that she fell?" Alice said, her expression dead serious.

"Ohhh, you should not have said that." Hiccup tugged on his collar.

"I leave you all in charge of one child, and you cannot manage to keep her in good condition for a week?!" Alice's voice raised as she stood to her feet. "Do you have any idea the damage she could have caused with this? To herself?!"

Anna held her hands up. "A- Alice, I know this seems bad, and we're going to keep a closer watch over her and the-"

"I know none of you have much experience with children, but you had better learn quickly!" Alice snapped.

"Maybe it was a good thing Eliza found that... I mean, if someone stronger had found it, things would have turned out worse." Kristoff said.

"No, it is NOT a good thing this was found by her! Don't you all see? This was no isolated incident, this was MEANT to be found!" Alice slammed her fist on the table. "If you cannot even monitor a child properly, who is to say the Queen won't just stroll in here and cause havoc?! I am more angered by the lot of you neglecting her than the Queen having the audacity to attempt to cause her harm; and believe me, if this happens again, I will come for you all as soon as I go back and give the Queen a piece of my mind!" She shoved the box into her dress, straightening up as the four sat in shocked silence. "I don't care what you have to do, make sure she's comfortable." She said, taking a snow globe and casting it down before disappearing.

Moments later, the four remaining adults heard footsteps just outside the dining hall. The door burst open, Eliza running inside and stopping as she glanced around.

"Alice... where is she? She was here..." Eliza spoke.

They all stood up, Kristoff shaking his head. "We locked that door, how in the hell did she-"

"Toothless, I see you back there!" Hiccup shouted. "Come out here right now!" The dragon squeezed into the dining hall, hanging his head as he held the door knob in one of his paws. "What did I just tell you about not getting into trouble! Give it... Toothless!" Hiccup snatched the broken door knob and pocketed it. "No evening flight for you today, now go back to the stables!" Toothless whined lightly, Kristoff throwing his hands up when Sven entered the room, following behind Toothless.

"I swear, those two lads are becoming a handful!" Merida exclaimed.

"I asked you a question!" Eliza shouted, getting everyone's attention as they turned to look at her. "Where is Alice?!"

Anna went over to Eliza, taking her hand. "Alice had to go back... she wanted to make sure you were doing okay."

"Then why didn't she ask me herself?" Eliza asked, tearing her hand away. "Does no one care for me anymore?"

"Of course we do..." Anna said, furrowing her brow. "Eliza, this is hard for all of us... I promise you, things will get better as soon as the Queen is taken care of... it's hard to be there for someone when you have so much on your plate... I know it's hard to understand... but we just have to try to listen to each other, alright?" She frowned as Eliza began to tear up, hugging her.

"I'm sorry... I... I don't know what happened to me..." Eliza whimpered. "I was frightened."

"I know... we all were too." Anna replied, sighing as she gently pet Eliza's hair.

The four young adults were relieved that Eliza was somewhat back to herself, but worried that she wasn't taking this whole situation as well as they anticipated.

* * *

Ralph sighed contently, looking up at the trees as he breathed in the fresh air. He had started to become friendly with the others, feeling like perhaps, he finally belonged somewhere. Sure, there was the Anon Anonymous group back in the arcade, but their conversations were scripted in a way, they spoke about their problems and struggles and nothing really else. They were there for support, not for any other social reason. Though the same could be said to an extent for this situation in particular, Ralph somehow felt in his heart that there was a possibility that at the end of all of this, that could change.

Unfortunately for him, a certain Nightmare King approached behind him, tapping the wrecker's shoulder and breaking him away from his thoughts.

"Might I have a word with you... Ralph?" Pitch asked. "Let's take a walk down that way."

Ralph blinked, standing up. "Oh, uh, sure... what was your name again?"

"Pitch. The name is Pitch." He answered, nodding his head towards the path. He used his scythe as a walking stick, Ralph glancing at it.

"That sounds an awful like something that would make Calhoun knock someone's lights out..." Ralph mumbled to himself. "So, uh... that's a neat... we don't really have weapons in our game..." Ralph said, trying to make conversation, as Pitch's intimidating silence was beginning to unsettle him.

"It certainly comes in handy." Pitch finally spoke. "However... I assure you, that this is no game, Ralph." When they were far away enough, in one swift move, Pitch used the scythe to miraculously take out Ralph's legs, making the wrecker fall with a great thud as he sat up. His eyes crossed a bit when he was met with the point of the scythe just inches from his face.

"Hey, what gives, man?!" Ralph whined, holding his hands up. "You ask to go on a walk so you can trip me and-"

"Be quiet." Pitch said lowly. "Now... you're going to tell me all about your little plan to have that little brat of yours win over MY woman with her big boo-boo eyes so you can have her all to yourself!"

"Woah, hang on, what are you- oh boy, what did Vanellope do now?" Ralph rubbed his face. "I swear, that kid is going to be the 'game over' of me..."

"It would seem so. If you are truthful in not having some conspiracy against me, I'll simply tell you this. Elsa is MINE. If she chooses on her own that she does not wish to be with me, perhaps I will spare the life of the one she does choose- for her sake. If you try to take her from me forcefully... I shall destroy you in any and every manner possible. You have been warned." Pitch let up then, still holding his scythe as he walked away from him.

"Jeez... that guy needs to lighten up a little..." Ralph said to himself as he got to his feet. "I've barely even talked to her, anyway..."

Meanwhile, Jack was in the middle of speaking to Bunny, Sandy and Elsa when Alice returned, the four of them turning to face her.

"Hey..." Jack said, immediately seeing tension in Alice's features. "I was just going over the plan with Bunny and-"

"We have a new plan. You and I are going to have a little talk with the Queen." Alice interrupted, taking Jack's hand without hesitation and dragging him away from the others, who looked on in bewilderment.

"Okay, hang on- where are we- what about all of the- Alice!" Jack exclaimed, stopping when Alice whirled around, holding the rage box up to his face.

"The Queen somehow found opportunity for this to fall in a particular pair of hands... a pair of hands that I now understand belong to someone who she may intend to manipulate to her benefit because of us. Eliza found this box, this is not mere coincidence, it was purposeful. This was meant to harm her, our friends, and us. She trifles with that child, she trifles with me." Alice said, tucking the box back into her dress before resuming to storm towards the edge of the forest.

Jack stood still for several moments, shaking his head as he took in Alice's words. "W- Wait... you don't mean... you don't mean Eliza, do you?" He called after her, running to catch up with her.

"That's precisely who I mean." Alice replied without diverting her gaze.

"Oh no..." Jack breathed, understanding Alice's behavior a bit better now. "Alright, alright, um... you know... we could get there a bit faster if we fly."

Alice stopped then, smirking lightly. "Now you're talking." They gave each other a determined nod, taking each other's hand as they took to flight.

Outside the perimeter of the mountain, card guards stood at their posts, watching vigilantly for any signs of movement from the edge of the forest. One glanced over as something caught their eyes, pointing as a cluster of blue butterflies sped towards them. Alerting nearby guards, they pursued the butterflies, which began to swirl in a maddening frenzy around their heads, the guards trying to swat them and swing their weapons at them. Some hit each other with their weapons, the card guards not being the brightest minions out there.

As this happened, Jack snuck up on other card guards while the first group was distracted, shooting ice sparks at them with his staff, freezing and bringing his staff down upon them to shatter the ice into millions of pieces. When enough were taken down, the remaining card guards began to flee, Jack looking towards the cluster of butterflies.

"Alice! They're retreating!" Jack called.

The butterflies materialized, Alice wielding her vorpal blade as she whirled around, three remaining card guards moving in to attack her. She made a full circle as she swiped her blade, falling to one knee as the guards stopped short. Moments later, all three of their heads rolled onto the ground, their bodies falling limply. Alice stood to her feet, sheathing her blade.

"Good. They will tell their evil mistress we've arrived." Alice replied without a hint of worry.

Inside the mountain, the Queen was monitoring everyone's progress when she turned, noticing her card guards approaching. Chatter began to stir among the monkey minions, the Queen holding her hand up as the card guards knelt before her.

"Chimeegüi bai! Ankhaaral ni zogs!" Maharaja shouted, his minions quieting immediately and forming neat ranks in anticipation.

"What do you have to report?" The Queen asked her card guards. At their response, her eyes lit up, grinning wickedly. "I knew it would be soon... the time has come! Our enemies show themselves! All of you remain here, I require only one to bring with me." She said, tapping her chin as she glanced around.

"Your highness..." Hans asked. "I would be more than happy to join you." He volunteered.

As the Queen pondered, her gaze gravitated towards Turbo, who was cackling as he made two cybugs fight each other for his own enjoyment. She smirked lightly, glancing over at Hans momentarily. "That won't be necessary, Hans... continue to perfect your abilities." She approached Turbo then, who upon noticing the Queen walking towards him, waved his hands at the cybugs.

"Okay stop now- nono- cut it out- HOLD IT!" He shouted, the cybugs clicking as they skittered behind the hybrid racer. "Hey, Queenie, we're uh, working real hard over here, but I'll give you a few minutes since you're kind of important. What's on your mind?"

"It seems a few trespassers have arrived... I require your presence to deal with them." The Queen said.

"Oh alright, I guess I can make room in my super busy schedule here..." Turbo sighed as he followed behind the Queen.

As Turbo went off with the Queen, Hans narrowed his eyes resentfully at them before returning to his prior task of training with his fire powers.

Alice arrived at the top of the mountain with Jack as the Queen and Turbo made their way up. She held out a head from one of the decapitated card guards, the glowing light from within the mountain illuminating her face with an eerie glow.

"Queen of Hearts!" She shouted on the top of her lungs. "You and I have a score to settle!"

As the Queen came into view, Turbo trudging behind her, Alice tossed the head forward, just missing her as it tumbled down the internal slope of the mountain. The Queen regarded it for a moment before turning to look Alice in the eyes, Alice's burning into hers as Jack grit his teeth angrily.

"Indeed, my dear Alice... we do." The Queen said lowly, smirking. "But first..." She said after a brief pause. "... I would like to introduce to you a new friend of mine... this is Turbo, ruler of a land called Sugar Rush. He will be assisting me here."

"Somehow that realm doesn't seem to suit you... Turbo." Alice said bitterly. "We'll become acquainted in time, I assure you... this is about us right now." She returned her focus to the Queen, her hand shaking from anger as it clutched the handle of her vorpal blade.

"Now, have I done something to make you cross?" The Queen said with fake innocence, pouting a bit. Alice growled angrily, producing the rage box and throwing it at her feet. The Queen raised a brow, her face stretching into a grin again as she chuckled lowly. "Ah... it seems someone has found my little gift. Tell me... did your sister enjoy going on a rampage? Oh... but I almost forgot, silly me..." The Queen stepped closer, chuckling mockingly. "... you don't have a sister, do you?"

Alice was about to come back at her when Jack stepped forward. "Well, I do." He said, narrowing his eyes. "And if you even think about coming near her again, I'll-"

"You'll what? Freeze me to death?" The Queen laughed. "Did you fools honestly think you could come here and face this army all by your little selves?"

"I believe I could slice through this army in my sleep, but we came here to warn you." Alice spat. "We shall come swiftly... and if you cease your actions now, I'll consider sparing your wicked life!"

The Queen snickered at this. "Oh, your threat cuts to the quick! My very bones tremble with fear! By the way... how is my dear Pitch doing?"

Jack scoffed at this. "Just peachy... he and Elsa are living the good life."

The Queen's arrogant smile faded at this, scowling lightly. "No matter... Elsa shall be dealt with soon enough."

"Yeah right, you think that's going to make Pitch any less repulsed by you?" Jack asked.

"You headstrong little fiend! I'll teach you some manners!" The Queen shouted.

As she reared her hand back, Alice did not hesitate to wield her hobby horse, smacking the Queen's hand as it came forward so it was forced back, hitting Turbo and making him sway to keep his balance.

"Alright, no one makes someone else hit me in the face and gets away with it!" Turbo growled, charging forward. Jack's eyes widened as Alice was about to lunge at the Queen.

"Oookay, time to move!" Jack shouted, grabbing Alice's arm and hoisting her up just as Turbo snatched at them. The hybrid racer chuckled, licking his lips.

"Hey, I can fly too, suckers!" He said, his wings beating quickly as he too took to flight.

Alice struggled against Jack as they made their way back to the forest. "Jack, we are not leaving until I've at least left a mark on her-"

"Are you crazy?! Look at that thing behind us!" Jack exclaimed.

"You think you can outrun me? I'm the greatest racer ever, and don't you forget it!" Turbo shouted, his hands outstretched.

Alice whirled around, teapot kettle in hand as it steamed up. She shot one wad of tea after another at him, Turbo's eyes widening a bit as he dashed back and forth to dodge them. Growing aggravated, he sped towards them, Alice conjuring her vorpal blade to strike. Jack shot an ice blast at him, Turbo gritting his teeth as his hand iced over. Turbo shot a glare at Jack, whipping himself around in the air so he smacked his tail right into the ice guardian. Jack went flying, crying out as he fell through the tree tops, unable to regain his balance. Alice gasped, giving Turbo one last vengeful glare before soaring after him.

"Jack!" She cried out as she entered through the tree tops.

As Turbo attempted to pursue them, lightening cracked as he attempted to go near the forest, making him hesitate and back up in a quick motion to avoid the assault of electricity coming from the sky.

"Yikes! That spells 'game over!'" He cried. He never liked to run away from a challenge, but he decided that he would have to make an exception this time.

The Queen watched from the distance, having collected herself as she saw Turbo coming back towards the mountain. She chuckled lightly, nodding to herself.

"Yes... he has great potential." She said to herself.

Meanwhile, Alice's feet touched down as she looked all around her. "Jack? Jack!" She cried, furrowing her brows a bit. "Curse my negligence..." She whispered to herself, gasping when she finally spotted him. She ran to him quickly, crouching down as Jack tried to sit up.

"A- Alice... you are officially insane..." Jack groaned.

"Well, glad to see you're well enough to state the obvious..." She said, helping Jack to his feet.

"What did we accomplish by doing that?!" Jack hissed as he dusted himself off.

"We got a taste of what we're up against. Turbo, her new pet, has speed and agility on his side, but he's a hot head and he's an easy target much like the Queen is." Alice said.

"Yeah, that's why you missed every shot, right?" Jack asked.

Alice chuckled. "You don't think I was actually trying, do you?" She asked. "I wanted to see what he would do. His reflexes, his movement, his tactic."

Jack blinked, shaking his head. "You know, in a scary way, you're kind of amazing." Jack smirked a bit, wincing as he leaned on his staff. "I do need to take a break from this."

"Very well, let's get you back and cleaned up." Alice said, coiling an arm around his waist to help support him as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Hopefully she won't trifle with our little Eliza again..." She said, her smile fading.

"Yeah..." Jack sighed. "At least now that the others know about it, they'll be more watchful."

"They had better be... or they won't like what I'll do about it." Alice replied, approaching the main area where the others were waiting.

* * *

Eliza gasped, her eyes widening as she shoved the snow globe back into the drawer, climbing onto her bed and hugging her knees. She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes tightly for a moment. She bit her lip, getting up and opening her door slowly. She pursed her lip, heading into the corridor when she saw a familiar someone waddling about. She remembered what had happened between her and Olaf while under the influence of the rage box, feeling terrible. When Olaf noticed her running down the hall, he was taken a bit off guard as she threw her arms around him, hugging him close.

"Olaf!" She cried. "I'm so sorry for what I did... I didn't mean it, I was just... I was so angry, I felt so angry at everything..."

"Aww... hey, it's okay... I heard what happened, it sounded pretty scary..." Olaf frowned. "Lucky for me, I can't feel pain!" He beamed.

"It still wasn't right... Olaf, I need you to keep another secret." Eliza said quietly.

"Okay." Olaf said.

"I've been watching Alice and Jack with a snow globe I'm keeping in my room." Eliza said. "They just had a fight with the Queen, and this big monster."

Olaf gasped. "Are they okay?"

"I think so… but Olaf, she's the reason why they haven't been paying attention to me… the others too. And she's the reason why I was so mean to you… I could have really hurt you… I don't want that. You're my best friend." Eliza frowned.

"You're my best friend too…" Olaf smiled.

"I have to do something about this. I can't just stay idle in my room all day." Eliza said. "You can't tell anyone, alright?"

"You're not going to go anywhere by yourself, are you?" Olaf asked.

"Don't worry. I'll be careful." Eliza kissed Olaf's forehead. "I'm not a little girl anymore. I have to help protect my family, like the others."

Olaf's eyes widened as Eliza turned to go back to her bedroom, grabbing her hand. "You can't go on your own!" He frowned. "I can try to help at least..."

"I can't bring you along, Olaf. I saw the mountain, there's a lot of fire there and I don't want to risk you melting. Just remember you can't tell anyone." Eliza said.

"But what if you get hurt?" Olaf asked.

"I won't. I found this around the castle." Eliza said, glancing around for a moment before taking out a small dagger. "I can use it to protect myself like Alice does with hers. I can also run really fast."

"Okay... I'll wait for you to come back." Olaf said, the two sharing one more hug. They heard footsteps coming down the hall, Eliza quickly concealing the blade.

"Alright Eliza, it's getting late. Time to get some sleep, you need to rest." Anna said. Eliza hugged Anna tightly then, making her blink before smiling. "I'm glad you're feeling alright."

"Me too..." Eliza smiled lightly. "I'm sorry I've been acting badly..."

"It's okay... just remember that we're here for you, and Alice and Jack are doing all they can to protect you." Anna said, kissing Eliza's forehead once she escorted her to bed. When she gently closed her door, Eliza cracked an eye open, tip toeing to the door to press an ear against it, making sure no one was outside her room or approaching.

"Well, I'm going to protect Jack and Alice, too." Eliza whispered to herself, taking out the dagger. She grabbed a small satchel, packing a few things in it to take with her on her journey. She finally took out the snow globe from her drawer, taking a deep breath as she held it up. "... Take me to the Queen." She said to it quietly before casting it down, biting her lip as she entered the portal with cautious determination.

* * *

 **Oh dear... will this decision Eliza is about to make spell trouble for everyone? Will she live to tell the tale? For Emily Jane fans, I apologize for her really not making an appearance in this chapter; I promise some focus will return upon her in future chapters. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading! Stay tuned!**


	13. Newfound Pawn Emerging

**Good afternoon, readers! It's been a rough couple days for me but I am here with a new chapter! Nothing too serious I assure you, but I hope you're ready to continue this journey! Hopefully some things you are wondering about will be answered; nevertheless, please sit back and enjoy!**

* * *

Bunny finished off another few eggs, tapping his foot and placing the basket into the hold that formed before it closed up, the Easter guardian dusting his hands off. He glanced over when he noticed Ralph blinking at him.

"How did you do that?" The wrecker asked. "I know a guy that would love to have that power up in his games..." He added.

Bunny shrugged. "Comes with the job, mate. Got to get into and out of the Warren somehow, right?" He chuckled.

"Wish someone appreciated what I do..." Ralph sighed, sitting down next to him. "I would love being one of you... guardian guys. Everyone just thinks I'm a typical bad guy."

"You don't seem like a bad guy... I mean, you take pretty good care of that little ankle biter with you. Victoria?" Bunny scratched behind his ear.

"It's Vanellope." Ralph corrected.

"Right, sorry." Bunny cleared his throat.

"I can't believe it..." Ralph shook his head. "... all this time... the one making that kid miserable was Turbo. All because he wanted some kind of glory. Putting her through that... I didn't think the guy could get any worse."

"That Pitch guy, over there..." Bunny nodded his head. "We've been enemies for centuries. All he cared about was giving kids nightmares for some sick thrill. He whined about wanting to be 'believed in...' I still can't believe that he's here with us..." Bunny groaned.

"That guy? The guy that's with..." Ralph's sentence faded. "Yeah, I don't think he likes me."

"The only one he likes is Elsa... she's as cold as he is." Bunny said.

"W- Well, I mean... she did make friends with Vanellope... she can't be THAT bad." Ralph said.

Bunny raised a brow, smirking then. "You like her, don't you mate?"

"I- wha- I think that she just needs some friends... like, like me, you know? Someone who's not going to just throw you in the mud or not invite you to milestone anniversary parties or leave you in the dump!" Ralph said.

"So, what are you waiting for, you bloke?" Bunny lightly punched Ralph's arm. Ah, yes, how he would revel in Pitch's anger if Ralph were to come between him and his precious Elsa.

How dare he be happy, Bunny thought. How dare Pitch have a nice family and someone to love him and he didn't? This was the perfect opportunity, and he was going to egg Ralph on as much as possible; no pun intended.

Ralph nodded to himself. "You're right, Bunny, I think I am going to talk to her." He got up, walking across the small encampment towards the ice queen, who was sitting and talking with Vanellope.

Vanellope glanced up, waving as Ralph approached. "Heya, Ralph! Come sit with us!" Vanellope pat the spot next to her. "I was just telling Elsa here how you saved everyone in Hero's Duty from the cybug attack!"

"Wait, when did I-" When he got a look from Vanellope, he cleared his throat. "- y- yeah, that was... it was pretty scary, those things are pretty dangerous... you've got to leave it to a real professional."

"What exactly are these... cybugs...?" Elsa asked. "I'm having a little bit of trouble understanding where you both come from."

Vanellope snickered as she let Ralph scoot over to sit next to Elsa. "Well, cybugs are these huge robot things, they eat anything they can get their claws on."

Elsa raised her brows. "That's terrible... were you able to stop them?"

"Oh yeah..." Ralph leaned down a little bit. "See, the trick is to make a beacon... this big light that attracts them and lures them into it so they burn to a crisp. When Vanellope here couldn't make it out of Sugar Rush, I had to smash all the mentos into the pits of Diet Cola mountain... Turbo almost stopped me, but he was no match."

Vanellope rolled her eyes playfully from behind, shaking her head as she smirked.

"That was very brave of you." Elsa smiled lightly. "Vanellope is very lucky."

"Yeah... she's a good kid. Annoying at times, but we're best pals. Right Vanellope?" He glanced back, giving her a thumbs up and a thankful nod. She rolled her eyes again, giggling as she waved her hand at him. She then cupped her mouth, soundlessly telling him to talk to Elsa about herself. He cleared his throat, straightening up a bit. "So, Elsa, um..." Ralph scrambled to come up with something to say. "... I couldn't help but notice that your dress matches your eyes!"

Vanellope's expression went flat, groaning as she smacked her own forehead. "What a lummox..." She said to herself.

Elsa blinked, chuckling nervously. "Well, thank you. I've broken away from traditional garments and made my own style."

Ralph nodded, clearing his throat awkwardly. "So, you're a queen, right? Must be nice being popular and all..."

Elsa raised her brows a bit. "Well... being a queen isn't just about being popular, Ralph. And... unfortunately, I was actually hated in the beginning."

"People HATED you?! I mean, people hate me because I'm a bad guy, how could anyone hate you?" Ralph exclaimed.

"Because I'm different. I was born with powers they did not understand, that people feared... I even feared them myself." She extended her hand forward, Ralph watching with awe as she created a small burst of snow flurries just as she had shown Vanellope earlier. She then made a small patch of ice in front of them, Ralph's eyes widening with interest.

"... ohhh what the guys at the arcade would give to have powers like that! That's amazing!" Ralph held his hands out.

Elsa chuckled. "Thank you." Her smile faded a bit then. "But it wasn't always nice. I hurt people... I hurt my sister. I was seen as a dangerous person... a monster. I tried for so long to conceal my powers, but I couldn't. It was only when I realized that I could use my powers to do good things... to accept myself for who I am, that others began to accept me too." Her smile returned a bit then.

Ralph's expression softened, entranced by the way she moved her hands, forming snowflakes that seemed to dance on the air. "Yeah... I kind of have the same deal. I'm just a bad guy, that's all people think. I mean, I can't help that the game made me this way, but I'm the guy who wrecks the building, that's my job. I can't fix anything, believe me, I tried."

"I don't think you're bad at all, Ralph." Elsa said, looking up at him.

"Really?" He smiled. "Thanks..." He scratched the back of his head.

Vanellope smiled at their interaction, blinking when she noticed a shadow looming over her from behind. She turned around, jumping a bit in surprise when Pitch bent down to grimace at her.

"Move, little girl." Pitch said.

"Maybe I don't wanna." Vanellope smirked, crossing her arms. "That's no way to talk to a lady."

"Funny... I only see a spoiled little brat here." Pitch narrowed his eyes. "And don't even try to make those crocodile tears again, or I'll really give you something to cry about." He hissed, shoving Vanellope aside.

As she got to her feet, Vanellope glared at him. "No wonder everyone hates you, you're nothing but a big meanie!"

"Oh... my feelings are so hurt." Pitch rolled his eyes, approaching Ralph and Elsa from behind, trying with all his might to keep his anger in check. He cleared his throat, getting their attention as they turned to look at him. "Jack and Alice have returned, they are requesting everyone to meet them at the center of camp."

Elsa got to her feet. "Oh, I hope they're alright..." She said, quickly hurrying back.

As she did, Ralph cleared his throat as Pitch shot a glare at him. "Perhaps you did not understand my warning, earlier..." He said.

Ralph sighed, holding his hands up. "Look, come one man, we were just talking-"

"Well, you can 'just talk' to someone else! Not my future wife!" Pitch snapped.

"Hey! Elsa can talk to whoever she wants, bub!" Vanellope piped up. "Maybe she'd figure out what a big jerk you are!"

Pitch gritted his teeth. "If you do not shut that mouth of yours, I'll-"

"Hey." Ralph's expression became serious then, pushing Pitch back a bit. "You can say or do whatever you want to me, I can take it. But you even think about hurting that kid there, you'll be on the bad end of one of these." Ralph held up a fist. Pitch narrowed his eyes, deciding to back off this time, even when Vanellope blew a raspberry at him.

Some lingering tension between them, the three headed back where everyone was gathered.

"Well, about time you showed up..." Alice said, raising a brow.

"Ralph, welcome back, mate!" Bunny said, patting the wrecker's back as he sat down.

"It's actually good you're here, Ralph... we met your best friend, Turbo." Jack said.

"Wait, what?!" Ralph exclaimed, snapping to attention.

"Yes, quite a competitive cod, and a sore loser at that." Alice commented. "A perfect ally for the Queen."

"Oh man..." Ralph groaned.

"We will need your input to understand and plan the best way to combat him... as well as figure out how to confront the others." Alice said, turning to where Emily was standing a bit away from them. "You may desire to remain neutral, but you're the only one who knows anything about this... Phoenix you've spoken about. If you can at least assist us in this matter, it would be most appreciated."

Emily raised a brow, pursing her lips in thought. She glanced over at Bunny for a moment before her gaze gravitated towards Jack. His words came to her again, compelling her to fulfill Alice's request. "Very well. I shall offer you any information you require."

"Thank you." Alice said before turning to the others. "One disadvantage that we have is we are going up against great numbers."

"That would be correct." Pitch added. "Between the card army and Maharaja's minions, it's a great amount to fight through. Even if my Nightmares assist me, it's still not enough."

"I could always make another Marshmallow..." Elsa said, more to herself.

"Woah! You can make CANDY too?" Vanellope asked.

"No..." Elsa chuckled. "It's the name my sister gave my snow golem."

"It's quite a fearsome thing, mates. Can say that first hand." Bunny said, raising a hand.

Elsa cleared her throat. "Sorry about that."

"No hard feelings, Shelia." Bunny nodded to her.

"We need to map out their weaknesses... anything you can think of that we can use to our advantage." Alice said, taking a stick into her hand. "Once we do that, we set up to make our way to the mountain."

"Wait, who's going to watch Vanellope?" Ralph asked.

"Hey! I'm not a baby!" Vanellope pouted.

"I beg to differ..." Pitch muttered, Elsa nudging his arm lightly.

"Ralph is right, Vanellope, this is no place for someone of your age. I have a younger sister at home and I would regard you in the same manner." Alice said.

"Well, Emily won't be coming with us, she can stay with her." Jack said.

"It is not for you to assign the child to my care." Emily replied.

"Yeah, I don't wanna be here alone with some psycho lady anyway!" Vanellope pouted.

Pitch slowly turned in Vanellope's direction then, beginning to seethe. Elsa tried to calm him, but it was to no avail as he approached the child, Ralph glaring at him as he remained close to her. "What did you call my daughter?"

"Oh blimey..." Bunny rested his head in his hands.

"Did I stutter, pal?" Vanellope said, standing up to meet his glare as he bared his teeth. "I said, she's a-"

"Father." Emily spoke, floating forward towards them. "Allow me to speak to the child."

As Emily approached, Bunny glanced up at her, sitting up a bit straighter. "Em, come on..." He said quietly, but was surprised that her expression did not seem to retain any anger in it, only a level of seriousness. Pitch backed away at her request, allowing her to stand before Vanellope.

"Do not fear me child. Sit." Emily said.

"Okay..." Vanellope replied, glancing at Ralph for a moment before doing as Emily asked.

Emily tilted her head a bit as she observed Vanellope for a moment. "You are bold... outspoken for your age." Emily spoke in a soft tone. "I had your spirit and vitality once. When I was even younger like yourself, I would often disobey my mother and go sailing." She smiled sadly. Pitch, standing behind her, softened his expression as well as memories came flooding back to him. "That was taken away from me. My family, my freedom and privilege to be a child. I had grown up far before my time, for I too had no mother." Vanellope listened to her, taken aback by her story, as everyone was. "I was unkind to you, I made you feel unwelcome. You have every reason to feel uncomfortable here. However, I have very little trust for outsiders. I cannot expect you to trust me if I do not trust you. So I shall say this. So as long as you do not harm myself or anything within my domain, I shall not cause any harm to you. I think that is a fair deal."

Vanellope was silent for a few moments, she just as surprised as the rest of the group by how Emily had handled this. She nodded slowly, smiling a bit as she extended her hand.

"Okay." She replied. "How about we shake on it?"

Emily raised a brow, glancing to the side. Jack smiled, giving her a nod. Emily then extended her hand, trying to imitate Vanellope as they awkwardly shook hands.

"Very well, then. That is settled." Emily said, floating backwards to where she had been standing originally.

Alice shook her head a bit, forcing herself to refocus. "Alright, let's resume discussing our positions…"

* * *

Eliza exhaled sharply as she entered the Phoenix's mountain, moving as quickly as she could into a small corner to hide in. When she did so, she peeked out, trying to take in her surroundings. There was an eerie red glow filling the inside of the mountain, and she heard a great deal of noise in the nearby distance. She heard the sound of things clanging, the sound of minions emitting short, rhythmic battle cries as they practiced with their weapons, the sound of the Phoenix screeching as he and Hans trained together at the Queen's command. Eliza reached into her satchel, taking the dagger out as she emerged from the small space. She tip toed forth, her eyes darting everywhere for any sign of movement.

She failed to realize that just behind her, a cybug had caught sight of her, skittering silently towards her as she walked.

Eliza stopped when she saw a different form of light in front of her, seeing her shape made out in it. She realized then that something was behind her, slowing to a stop as her eyes widened. Her eyes glanced to the side, slowly turning around as her spine tensed. Her breathing quickened when she came face to face with the cybug, her hands shaking as she held out the dagger. The cybug chirped, clicking its teeth before it opened its mouth wide. Just as it was about to attempt to devour her, a voice echoed from some distance behind the cybug, unseen.

"Hey!" Turbo shouted. "I only see… ugh I can't keep count but I know one of you are missing!"

Eliza's breathing remained quick and shallow as the cybug glanced back, yellow lights illuminating on it as it looked between Eliza and the direction of Turbo's voice. It whirred with frustration, abandoning its found meal to retreat at Turbo's call. Eliza allowed herself to exhale deeply, wiping her brow as relief washed over her. She turned to resume her slow trek into the center of the mountain, but gasped when she saw a monkey minion turn a corner. She bit her lip, going to the side to hide behind a jagged rock sticking out of the ground. The minion growled when it thought it saw unfamiliar movement, narrowing its eyes as it sniffed the air. Eliza crouched down, staying low as she held the handle of the dagger tightly. She watched silently as the minion seemed to walk by, passing where she was. She sighed lightly, waiting it out a minute or two before slowly standing back up, emerging from her hiding place to once again try to make it to the center of the mountain and find the Queen undetected.

What she did not realize, until it was too late, however, is that the monkey minion, being a hunter, had waited out its prey.

Eliza had taken barely two steps before a screech was emitted behind her, the girl gasping as she was grabbed. She cried out, struggling as the minion grabbed hold of her arm, dragging her in the direction she had originally intended to go. It cried out, calling to its comrades as a couple more minions appeared, grimacing as they seized the intruder. Eliza cried out, begging them to let her free. They would not oblige her, instead taking her straight to Maharaja. The Monkey King growled lowly as he approached the human girl, grabbing her chin to force her head up, taking a closer look at her.

"Ter khaana baidag yum bol?" He asked his minions.

"Zügeer l ergej ch süüdert baina. Ter nuukh gej oroldson bolovch bi tüüniig makh ünertej." The minion replied, pointing to where the first had found Eliza.

"I'm here to see the Queen!" Eliza shouted. "Show me where she is and let me speak to her!"

Maharaja threw his head back to laugh. "Kharin munkhag okhin, chi ene shönö ükhekh bolno!" He shouted, slowly running a finger across his neck. "Tsergüüd! Tüünii züil avakh!"

"No, don't hurt me!" Eliza cried as one pried the dagger from her hands, dropping it to the ground and wrestling her satchel from her. They chattered to each other as they turned it upside down, emptying its contents and inspecting the items inside. As they did this, Maharaja grabbed Eliza's arm, the girl shutting her eyes tightly as she tried with no avail to escape his grip. He took his sword, raising it into the air. As he was about to bring it down upon her, a voice called out.

"Maharaja! Wait just a moment…"

Eliza's eyes opened slowly when she realized she was not about to die- yet- and rubbed her arm when she was let go. The minions parted as someone approached, and Eliza gasped lightly when she saw the source of the voice.

"You… you're the Queen…" Eliza breathed.

The Queen's eyes widened for a moment upon seeing who had come into their midst, feeling a mixture of shock and intrigue. She motioned for Maharaja to step back, stopping several feet from Eliza.

"You know me, child?" She replied.

Eliza glanced around her for a moment, taking in a deep breath as she stood up straight. "You're the one who keeps hurting Alice… and Jack… and my friends."

"Yes… you are the sister of Jack Frost… I am… quite curious to know why you are here…" The Queen asked warily.

"I came to ask you… no, to tell you that you had better not hurt them anymore! If you stop, then they can come home, we can all be a family again! All of our nightmares will stop… we can all be happy!" Eliza shouted.

When Maharaja and his minions laughed, the Queen hissed, holding up her hand to stop them. Hans approached from behind silently to watch the scene, craning his head.

"How sweet…" The Queen grinned. "… how lucky Jack Frost and Alice must be… to have someone willing to walk among us… risking her precious life in order to save them from eventual death…" She chuckled lowly. "However… ceasing my efforts… that is simply not an option. I have placed far too much work into this. I have done far too much… things you could not understand. My wish is not for peace, as you request so confidently of me… but for Alice's destruction." She bent down a bit, leaning forward. "None, not even a cherubic child such as yourself, can save her from me."

Eliza felt her blood boiling, angered by the way the Queen was speaking of Alice. Her breathing quickened once more, her heart beating faster as she glanced towards her fallen dagger a mere couple of feet from her. In one quick move, she darted for the weapon, minions crying out in surprise as they attempted to subdue her, but failed. In a manner of seconds, she took the weapon into her hand, rearing her hand back to leave a thin cut on the Queen's cheek, before doing the same to the other. Her eyes were full of anger as the Queen stared at her with shock, looking down at the blade to see a drop of blood lingering upon it. She felt a small amount of blood on her cheeks, holding a hand up to stop her allies from retaliating against Eliza.

When the cuts slowly disappeared, Eliza's eyes widened. "How did you do that?" She whispered.

"My body can regenerate at a faster rate than a human's..." The Queen replied, grinning. "Astounding..." She breathed, chuckling lowly as she straightened up. "Such a magnificent child! All of you look upon this child who has the courage to stand up to us..." The Queen placed a hand on her chest to gesture to herself. "... when we all... warriors, skilled killers, unmerciful murderers and fiends in our own right... could tear her to bits in mere moments!" The Queen approached Eliza again as she looked around, intimidated by all the eyes watching her. "Tell me your name, dear girl."

"I- It's Eliza..." She replied, gulping a bit.

"Eliza..." The Queen nodded to herself. "I shall tell you this... there are few things in this world that truly move me... I assure you, your bravery and valiance has saved you on this day. And not only that... I shall offer you a deal." The Queen leaned back a bit, tilting her head and pursing her lip as she lightly tapped her chin. Her eyes slowly panned about the room as she recalculated her plans, her movements, her next course of action. Her eyes diverted to her blood still remaining on the dagger Eliza was holding, smirking lightly as she hatched an idea. "Listen carefully, Eliza. The outcome of this war now rests on your shoulders... for you have proven to us all... that you can bear its burden. You shall come to me each night. And on each night you shall write six things on parchment... three reasons you strive to protect Alice... and three reasons you strive to protect Jack Frost... and for each day you do so... I shall withhold my forces from attacking them." She paused, observing Eliza's expression as she smirked lightly. "So... do we have a deal?"

Eliza glanced down, thinking deeply on the Queen's words. "You promise you won't hurt them... if I just write why I care about them?"

"Precisely. Easy, is it not?" The Queen asked.

"... okay... if you promise, I'll do it." Eliza said, glancing around as chatter began to swell.

"Let us shake hands to seal this compromise." The Queen said, extending one of her large hands.

Eliza furrowed her brows, biting her lip as she looked from the Queen to her hand. She slowly extended hers, shaking her hand warily. The Queen grinned widely, hissing to silence the others as the chatter began to swell more. "Very good... now that everything's in order, we shall send you along your way." She snapped her fingers. "Maharaja, would you kindly collect the child's things and return them to her?"

The Monkey King growled warily, but did as the Queen asked. When he shoved Eliza's satchel at her with all her things inside, she hugged it to her chest. "I have no way to get back... I used my one snow globe."

"Do not fret, Eliza..." The Queen opened her hand, offering a new snow globe to her.

"So... you're not going to hurt me? I'm not in trouble?" Eliza asked.

"Of course not, dear girl! You must go home now and rest, safe and sound, so you may return tomorrow with a fresh and open mind." The Queen smiled darkly as Eliza cautiously took the snow globe, looking around her. When she figured it was safe, she whispered to it as quietly as possible, casting it down before entering the portal, disappearing. As soon as she did, the chattering swelled up again, monkey minions beating the ground angrily with their weapons.

"Ter ni khaldagch baisan yum! A tagnuulyn! Ta tüüniig chölöötei yavuul bolokh ve?" Maharaja shouted.

"I allowed her to go free... because she may very well become a great asset to us. In what manner exactly, I am not yet sure. You must realize, that for that child, Alice and Jack Frost would do anything- even if it results in their own death- to keep her from harm." The Queen announced to all, glancing at all of her allies. "A door has been opened, and a great opportunity has been presented to us."

"Your highness... if she turns, and reports what happened here... then we are all at risk." Hans said.

"Let her tell them, then. Let her tell them that I allowed her to return home without one scratch on her precious little head..." The Queen replied, Hans blinking a bit as he thought on the notion a bit deeper. She smirked lightly, raising her hands. "That child is the key to crippling their forces! If Jack Frost and Alice are unwilling to strike for her sake, their allies shall follow! We shall hold them in a stalemate and advance! Allow me time to gain the child's trust... and then I shall decide what action to take."

Maharaja let this plan sink in, nodding to himself as his army quieted. The Queen dismissed herself, leaving them all to their thoughts as her confidence that they would not question her methods again increased tenfold.

* * *

 **Well... I'm sure many of you were holding your breath there! Did Eliza just make things better or worse for Alice? With the upcoming battle, how will her actions change things? Will the heroes compromise with each other long enough to muster working together against their enemies? Find out more in the next chapter and please stay tuned! Thank you for reading!**


	14. Obstacles With Preparations

**Good evening readers! Uploading this chapter even though I just uploaded one yesterday, being I kind of slacked over the weekend. So, a nice treat for you! Last time we left off, we were faced with a nail-biter when Eliza had wandered into the Queen's midst to confront her. As the impending battle draws nearer, will our heroes come to terms with one another? Read on and find out! And of course, please enjoy!**

* * *

Alice stood, her eyes scanning upon the others. "Ralph." She started. "We're a bit unfamiliar with your fighting style... so we need to see what you're capable of."

"Uh... really?" Ralph raised a brow, holding up his fists.

"Looks tell me nothing. Action says it all. Just because you have the power doesn't mean you know how to utilize it properly. We need to have someone for you to demonstrate on..." Alice replied.

"I'll volunteer." Pitch said, rising and taking a step forward. "I too, am curious to see what Ralph has to contribute to our cause."

Bunny snickered, lightly elbowing Ralph and nodding towards Pitch. Elsa gave Pitch a flat look, but he ignored it as he and Ralph gravitated towards a small, but clear area just outside of the encampment, the others following. Sandy tapped Bunny's shoulder, nodding towards them with a question mark above his head. Bunny whispered to him what was going on, Sandy's eyes widening as he raised his brows.

Jack crouched down next to Alice as she sat herself on a flat rock, Vanellope hopping around and fist pumping the air. "Go Ralph!" She exclaimed. Elsa groaned lightly, looking up at them as she held her head in her hand.

"Please try not to kill each other..." Alice said, noticing the visible tension between the two. "This is just... a demonstration."

"Oh, I'll demonstrate, alright..." Pitch smirked, whisking his hand as he conjured his scythe and a small group of Nightmares, the dark equines scratching their hooves on the ground and snorting threateningly. Ralph gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.

"You think some creepy horses are going to scare me? I wreck buildings for a living, pal!" Ralph exclaimed.

"Oh, I'll have to change that." Pitch said, snapping his fingers, his Nightmares charging forward.

Ralph growled lowly in response, rearing his fists back to strike. One by one, he turned the Nightmares into black sand that dissipated into the air, soon leaving just the two remaining once more. Vanellope cheered her friend on, beaming as she punched the air.

"Ooo, that was real tough!" Ralph waved his fingers at him.

"That was just an introduction." Pitch grimaced darkly. "You may have great strength... but let's see how quick you can move on those oversized feet of yours!" He then reared his hands back, shooting several bursts of black sand at Ralph in quick succession.

Ralph's eyes widened, crying out as he bounced on his feet, standing up straight and ducking comically to avoid Pitch's attacks. When one was going straight for him, Ralph panicked as he yanked a huge rock out of the ground, using it to block the sand burst. He cracked an eye open, sighing with relief as he lowered the rock. As soon as he did so however, Pitch was right there, grunting as he reared his scythe back. Ralph cried out in surprise, barely ducking in time as Pitch made the return swing. He tossed the rock towards Pitch, who burst into black sand and reappeared a few feet to the side. He shot three bursts towards Ralph, who did not move quickly enough as they all hit his stomach, knocking him back a bit. As Pitch was about to bring his scythe down upon him, Ralph grunted as he landed a heavy strike, Pitch crying out in surprise as he flew back, smacking into a tree and sinking to the ground. His scythe embedded into the tree next to him, the Nightmare King groaning as he slowly got to his feet.

"Yeah! Ralph's the man!" Vanellope cheered.

Ralph smiled triumphantly at first, but cleared his throat when he noticed Elsa go over to help support him. Ralph decided to be the bigger person, going up to him and offer his hand. "Good fight, huh?"

"Oh, bite me!" Pitch snapped, Elsa shooting him a look.

"Pitch, stop being so hostile to him!" She said in a hissed whisper.

"Why?! Look at them!" Pitch waved his hand at Ralph and Vanellope. "She's a manipulative little brat, and he's a hormonally driven simpleton! By rights they both belong in a freak show attraction!"

Elsa glared at him, shaking her head. "They are in danger and have dealt with misfortune just like we have. How could you criticize them just because they're different? We suffered the same treatment and you have the audacity to turn around and do the same to someone else!"

Jack stepped in then, waving his hands downward. "Oookay guys, let's just try to calm down and-"

"I am NOT going to let that mountain troll come between us!" Pitch shouted.

"So you think I'm just going to up and leave you? Don't you trust me at all?" Elsa asked.

"It's not you I don't trust, it's THEM I don't trust!" Pitch snapped.

"Well THEY are on the same side as we are, so you're just going to have to learn to tolerate them! I don't want to hear another word of this!" Elsa said, turning around and storming off.

Pitch growled lowly, shaking his head. Vanellope whistled mockingly as she raised her brows, Pitch whirling around and hissing at her before he too stormed off.

"Crikey..." Bunny chuckled quietly. "... don't you think they should be saving this pent up anger for the Queen?"

Alice rolled her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "All of this drama is making my head spin!"

Emily sighed, floating forth. "My father is only ever concerned with what he desires. He cares for no one else unless it conveniences him. The sooner you destroy your enemies, the sooner you may all be rid of him... and if the mortal queen knows what is good for her, she shall do the same."

"Tell me about it..." Bunny rolled his eyes. "I'm sick of just sitting around here!"

"Fantastic, because we're going to launch an attack in the morning." Alice said. "I've had about enough of all this nonsense."

Evening was falling, everyone preparing to rest up for the night. Alice smiled lightly when she felt a pair of cold hands gently massaging her shoulders.

"I still can't get over how freezing cold fingers don't bother you." Jack smiled as Alice leaned back against him a bit.

"Well as you know, I'm not a fan of fire. I'd take your hands over anything." She smiled back, glancing back at him briefly. "Unfortunately not even your fingers can completely soothe me as long as the Queen is still alive."

Jack sighed, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. "We'll get her, Alice. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not the next day... but we will."

"I don't want this to cost anyone their life, Jack... the Queen knows how resilient we are, and she is going to try to be equally as so." Alice said.

"We'll be okay. We made it last time, we'll do it this time, too." He hugged her close, resting his head on her shoulder as she closed her eyes.

Vanellope was pouting, having tried to see Elsa but Pitch had intercepted, shooing her away. She was muttering to herself angrily, plopping down and resting her head in her hands. She perked up when she noticed a glowing light, tilting her head when Sandy approached her.

"Hey, you're that guy who talks with pictures." Vanellope said.

Sandy smiled, nodding and giving her thumbs up. He noticed she was down about something, tilting his head as a question mark appeared over his head.

"I don't know which is worse..." Vanellope sighed. "... being at home where everyone hates you and you have to stay cooped up in some mountain and hide like a hobo, or being out here where some big meanie keeps you from saying goodnight to the one friend in the universe I have who's a girl... I mean, I like Ralph and everything... but I feel like girls understand some stuff better."

Sandy rolled his eyes playfully at that, before waving his hand to show he was joking around. He then formed a picture of Pitch's head next to another question mark.

"Yeah... he's even worse than King Candy... Turbo... whoever he is." Vanellope grumbled.

Sandy sighed inaudibly, forming more pictures to show that Pitch had been evil for a long time; that it would be hard for him to change how he treated others overnight... if he ever DID change.

"How does Elsa even deal with him? I mean, Ralph is no prince charming and all, but at least he's not a jerk..." Vanellope rested her head in her hand. "It's all fine and well he even HAS a family to hog. Ralph is the only family I have." She said sadly.

Sandy frowned, floating over to sit next to her. He pointed to himself, before patting her shoulder. He then asked her through pictures what her greatest dream is.

"I want to be a champion kart racer!" Vanellope beamed, but frowned a moment later. "It'll never happen though... I don't even have a kart anymore..."

Sandy thought for a moment, a light bulb appearing over his head. He whisked his hand, Vanellope gasping when a sand kart appeared before her, Sandy raising his brows and nodding.

"Wow! It's like the real thing!" Vanellope hopped up, jumping inside and sitting down. Sandy chuckled inaudibly, whisking his hand again as the sand kart began to float, flying around and through the nearby trees. Vanellope laughed and cheered, turning the sand wheel as she soared. "Man, I WISH karts could fly!"

Ralph heard the commotion, coming out of his resting place to see Sandy and Vanellope. He blinked, smiling gently as he approached them, nodding lightly at Sandy when he waved.

"That's what this kid needs... a chance to actually BE a kid." Ralph smiled gently.

As Vanellope flew around, Sandy slowly waving his hand to make the sand car move, he smiled and nodded at Ralph, trying to look into his mind for a moment. He then briefly whisked his other hand, a burst of sand swirling into the air above Ralph's head as the wrecker glanced up curiously. His eyes lit up when it formed a shape, lowering down to rest around his neck.

"Wow! My own medal!" Ralph exclaimed, beaming. "Thanks, Sandy!"

Sandy gave Ralph a thumbs up, chuckling inaudibly.

Meanwhile, from afar, Emily was seated on a tree branch, watching the activity. She smirked ever so slightly, shaking her head at Sandy's antics. She would never fully understand him, she deduced, but he was one of her oldest and best friends, through and through. She was distracted when she heard a sound, one of her leaf shaped ears flickering lightly as she glanced behind her. In the moonlight, Bunny approached, smiling at her lightly as he gave a small wave. Emily raised a brow, rising from the tree branch to float down, her feet touching down gracefully.

"Is there something you require of me?" Emily asked.

"N- No, no..." Bunny waved his hand at her. "Just... taking an evening stroll, stretching out my tail muscles..."

Emily tilted her head. "You seem to like to take these... 'evening strolls' often. Is there really so little I know of you? I suppose my isolation has left me quite ignorant to your nature, Bunnymund." She floated past him, kneeling down to tend to her moon flowers once again. "I am not particularly fond of the man in the moon..." Emily started to say. "... I do not always understand his ways, for he is very mysterious. But I respect the truth that he possesses greater power than all of us... he has great influence over our lives, he governs us all. This is a reminder to him each night of my acknowledgement of this."

Bunny approached her, crouching down a bit. "You know... the way you handled things... with Vanellope... I'm um... proud of you. I know that took a lot."

Emily glanced over at him, surprised by this statement. "I suppose I am left with little choice but to compromise until this all passes." She replied.

Bunny sighed lightly. "Look, Em... I don't know a whole lot about you either... maybe that's the problem. You can't trust someone unless you really get to know them."

"And what if I do not trust who I come to know?" Emily asked, her fingers producing droplets of water as they seemed to dance over the moon flowers.

"That's what life is. It's... full of disappointment and pain, at times... but you have to hold out hope that things will get better... that there are good times ahead." Bunny said.

"What do you hope for, Bunnymund?" Emily asked. "I ask because I am beginning to see that perhaps you are worth my interest. You and the other guardians seem to have so much to dispel the darkness within your hearts... and even when you have lost, you somehow still prevail over it. My father... somehow could not do the same. Perhaps he was always meant to fall. Even now... he still holds so much of it... am I destined to follow the same path? Is neutrality, a middle road where I don't have to choose between light and dark, truly impossible? Is the test inevitable?"

Bunny watched her as she stood, floating over to her throne within the shallow pool of water. He stood beside her, taking a moment to answer. "Of course I hope to always bring joy to children... it's what I was chosen to do."

"But it was not your choice. Therefore, it is not your hope alone." Emily replied. "I do not wish to have my actions chosen by another. Yes, the man in the moon influences my actions, he guides me, but in the end, I decide my own destiny."

"Sometimes, we don't always control what happens to us." Bunny said.

Emily glanced at him then before turning to resume looking into the water. "Then perhaps... if that is to happen to me... that is when the test shall present itself, and I must choose a new path to travel upon."

Emily held a hand over the water, allowing a single drop to fall from the tip of her finger. It landed into the pool below, creating a ripple that spread outward. The pool glowed, Emily narrowing her eyes a bit as the water's glow slowly transitioned to a crimson hue. "Though they cannot physically penetrate my borders... their eyes can... hers can."

Bunny raised a puzzled brow. "What are you talking about...?"

"They are watching us." Emily glared into the pool before looking at Bunny. "This... Queen... she is anticipating retaliation from you and your collective. Be wary, Bunnymund... for I can see clearly she has great ambition. This ambition is for your blood to be spilled upon her hands."

Bunny's eyes widened a bit, nodding. "Yeah, that sounds like her alright." He said quietly, glancing over at the pool to see a pair of green and red swirled eyes appear, spinning in a dizzying frenzy as their next confrontation loomed upon them.

* * *

The Queen narrowed her eyes, standing up straight as she looked down into a pool of blood at her feet. She waved a hand over it, absorbing the blood back into herself before exhaling slowly. "They will launch an attack against us tomorrow." She said, turning to look upon her four allies; Turbo, Hans, the Phoenix and Maharaja.

"Did you not promise the human child you would withhold your forces? How are we to defend ourselves?" The Phoenix asked.

"I did... however, that does not speak for a situation in which they come to confront us. Defense is not offense... the child is far too young to understand this play on words." The Queen said.

"Khüükhed ööriin sadan törliin khokhirch üzvel, ter ni ersdeltei baikh bolno... kheleltseert tany tögsgöld ankhdagch gej avch bolno." Maharaja said.

"The mind of a child is malleable; as is her heart. All you must do is guide her in another direction... if you can conjure a sound explanation, twist the words in such a way where you can place a veil of truth upon a lie... you succeed in manipulation. Let me ask you this... why do you think the child came to us?" The Queen asked.

"Who cares?" Turbo asked, yawning into a clawed hand. "I just want to get out there and tear that glitch a new one already."

The Queen raised a brow at him, looking to the others for an answer.

"Because... she wants to protect those she loves." Hans answered.

"Ah... it goes deeper than that, Hans... venture past the surface..." The Queen said. When no others spoke, she smirked lightly. "It is because she desires someone to protect. She wants her own place in this world; yes, she is a child, but a growing child... she is beginning to understand her own capabilities, and discovering her potential. Her mind and heart are fresh, ready to be filled. If there are none to fill it, a child fills their own mind and heart... unless someone else wishes to do so."

"What are you implying?" Hans asked.

The Queen pondered for a moment. "The child shall come tonight, after the confrontation with Alice has ended. We shall tidy up the mountain to make her feel welcome, and I shall slowly but surely gain her trust and take her under my wing. She shall come to learn that my methods are far more desirable."

"You honestly think you're going to make some snot-nosed brat listen to you? I was surrounded with the annoying little things for over ten years, toots, they don't listen for a second if your trophy depended on it." Turbo commented.

The Queen's facial muscles tightened a bit, forcing a smile. "Well then, Turbo..." She began tensely. "... you shall come to learn that it is in my nature..." She approached him, grabbing him by his circular disc-shaped neck, dragging his head down so he was face to face with her as she smirked darkly. "... that I am very, very, persuasive." She released him then, turning to stride in the opposite direction, waving her hand. "Make preparations for Alice's arrival, remember the plan we discussed!"

Turbo winced, rubbing his neck a bit. "Man... I have to teach that lady to loosen up a little... always so serious..." He looked around as Hans and Maharaja went along their own way, doing a double take when the Phoenix stared at him ominously. "Hey... bud, try blinking a little, would you?"

"You see this all as amusement. Remember you are within MY mountain. You will either assist in destroying the forest nymph, or you shall perish with her. My patience is wearing thin." The Phoenix said.

"Hey, come on, I'm a social guy! We're all stuck here in some big mountain, let's just sit back, relax, have a chocolate shake together and-"

"I am not allowing intruders into MY mountain to 'make friends!'" The Phoenix shouted, igniting brighter as he loomed over Turbo, growing in size. "You shall destroy the forest nymph, and then you shall all be dismissed from me as I overtake the land!" He whirled around, diminishing deeper into the mountain to prepare for the morning.

Turbo curled his lip, raising a brow. "Jeez, looks like everyone has a stick shift stuck up their cabooses... alright; pipsqueak, gears, Turbo Jr. and Rosie, get over here and help me do this stuff or whatever..."

Four cybugs emerged from their small enclosures, skittering along as they followed Turbo to do the Queen's bidding.

* * *

The sun rose with the swift arrival of the morning, fresh dew dotting the trees and patches of lower growth as the early-risers began to awaken. Elsa was one of the first, stretching her arms as she rose to her feet. She ventured out, picking some apples and using a knife to cut them. She conjured an ice spike, breaking off the pointy tip to mash the fruit into apple sauce with a consistent texture, taking some cinnamon sticks out of a small satchel as she began to cut them into smaller pieces to crumble and sprinkle into the bowl. As she was cutting them however, she hissed lightly as she accidentally cut her finger, crimson blood beginning to emerge.

Ralph had awoken, scratching his back as he blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes. When he heard someone whimper quietly, he glanced around, spotting Elsa sitting on a rock, her back facing him. Ralph tilted his head, approaching her.

"Hey, what'cha doing? O- Oh! Your uh... your finger is bleeding..." Ralph pointed.

"Yes, I know..." Elsa replied, biting her lip a bit. "I don't have anything to properly bandage it with..."

Ralph glanced around, trying to find something. He then looked down, noticing one of the many tears in his worn out overalls. He tore off a small piece, crouching down. "Here, I'm not the best at fixing things, that's my, uh, friend's specialty... I can try though..."

Elsa watched him curiously as Ralph tried to fumble the small piece of cloth, his fingers too large to wrap it around Elsa's slender finger. After becoming frustrated with himself, he stopped when Elsa placed her other hand on his, smiling gratuitously. "It's alright, Ralph. I'll take care of it from here."

Ralph stood completely still, her hand brushing against his as she gently took the cloth from him. She wrapped it around her finger, taking some twine out of her satchel to secure it. Ralph coughed a bit into his hand, smiling crookedly. "Well, uh... that worked out, huh?"

"Yes." Elsa smiled, exhaling lightly. "Thank you for your help."

Ralph was about to say something in response when he felt a sharp jabbing against his back, wincing a bit as he turned to see Pitch standing there, grimacing at him.

"Good morning." Pitch sneered. "It seems that you both weren't the only ones awake before I was." He bent down, showing remnants of green frosting in his hair. Ralph's eyes widened as he snickered, covering his mouth as he stifled a laugh. Elsa raised a brow, trying not to smile as she cleared her throat, approaching Pitch.

"Now Pitch... you saw yesterday how Emily worked out her differences with her... can't you do the same?" Elsa asked.

"... Elsa, the child is a pathological liar, a con artist and a mischievous prankster all in one, you expect me to actually REASON with her?!" Pitch exclaimed. "This is insanity!"

"Hey, watch what you say about Vanellope." Ralph warned.

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Fine. You have until we leave for the mountain to get on civil terms with Vanellope. If not, you can help your daughter babysit her. I will forbid you from coming with us."

"I- wha- Elsa!" Pitch exclaimed. "This is not festival we're participating in here, you're going to leave me here and possibly add MORE risk to your life simply because of a petty conflict I'm having!"

"That's exactly what it is, Pitch, it's petty. She's a wonderful little girl and if you got to know her, you would see that." Elsa handed him the bowl she had been holding. "Now enjoy a healthy morning breakfast with her and settle your differences. If you care about my life that much, you'll make an effort to succeed." She turned to take her leave then, leaving both Pitch and Ralph dumbfounded. Ralph raised his brows, smiling a bit.

"You know, Elsa is a really awesome lady-"

"Say one more word and I will see to it that every time you close your eyes from this day forward, it is a living hell for you." Pitch snapped before whirling around, grumbling as he headed to where Vanellope was.

The raven-haired girl chuckled to herself, smirking as she hid a small pack of frosting in a small corner. She turned around to head out, jumping back a bit when Pitch was standing over her.

"Hey! Don't you know how to not sneak up on somebody?!" Vanellope shouted.

"I'm not in the mood for your back lash today; we seem to have come to a crossroads and it's time we settle this feud between us." Pitch said, taking a seat near her.

Vanellope blinked, raising a brow as she smirked. "You got in trouble with Elsa, didn't you?"

"I- I did not! I have a mind of my own!" Pitch exclaimed. "I figured that being I'm stuck with you, I should try to figure out SOME way to tolerate you otherwise I may very well KILL you."

"Ohhh no, you're not gonna fool me, buster." Vanellope rested her arm on her knee, shaking her finger at him with her other hand. "I see what game you're playing... make your pretty girlfriend happy by making up with me and being mister nice guy." She leaned back a bit, Pitch staring at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Tell ya what. If I get something out of this, then I'll play along."

Pitch forced a laugh. "Here I am, the king of nightmares, making a bargain with some... some street rat!" He threw up his hands.

"You gonna play along or not?" Vanellope asked. "If not, I could just tell Elsa that Ralph's available when she breaks up with you!"

"If you suggest that notion one more time, I'll-..." Pitch clenched his fist, gritting his teeth as he growled lowly. "Fine... what would you like to receive in exchange for your efforts... miss VonSchweetz?"

Vanellope grinned to herself, resting her head in her hands and kicking her feet lightly as she thought. "First of all, you can call me 'champion racer Vanellope' from now on."

"Oh for the love of darkness..." Pitch groaned. "Very well." He waved his hand. "Now, let's discuss-"

"I'm not finished yet! I'm gonna squeeze every drop of monkey's milk I can out of this..." Vanellope interrupted.

Pitch blinked, letting himself fall back so he was staring at the ceiling of the small shelter. "You have got to be joking..."

"... let's see... I want my own kart, being mine was left with that 'mean Queen' everyone around here is always yakking about." Vanellope said.

"And where do you expect me to find such a thing in the middle of a FOREST?!" Pitch exclaimed as he sat up.

Vanellope shrugged in response. "I don't know, that's your problem. Oh! And one more thing- and he better thank me for this- you have to let Ralph be friends with Elsa." She smirked, crossing her arms.

"Why, you- that is out of the question!" Pitch freaked out.

Vanellope shrugged once more. "Fine, have it your way. Elsaaaaa!" She whined, making her bottom lip tremble as she began to act like she was crying.

"Will you- stop that- be silent this instant or- alright, fine! FINE! Your requests are granted, you little brat!" Pitch stuttered.

"Ap ap ap! I'm sorry, I don't think that's the name we agreed on calling me, mister Boogerman..." Vanellope smirked, cupping her ear and leaning in closer.

Pitch glared darkly at her, his spine tensing. "Oh, when my Nightmares get their hooves on you..." He muttered. "... very well, 'champion racer Vanellope...'" Pitch said as he made air quotes with his hands.

"Aww, now was that so hard? And I'll be nice and postpone you making me a kart until after you get back from fighting those bad guys... if you make it back in one piece, that is!" Vanellope chuckled, hopping off her seat as she walked past him. "It's been a nice chat, Boogerman!"

Pitch was boiling with anger, growling as he ran his hands down his face. He grabbed a spoon, grumbling as he ate his apple sauce with frustration.

Meanwhile, everyone else was now awake, Alice approaching Jack. "I need you to gather everyone here. Make sure they're ready so we can set off."

"Okay." Jack replied, nodding as he briefly took account of who was already gathered. He noticed Pitch was not present, stopping when Vanellope was passing his way. "Hey, Vanellope." He smiled, crouching down to give her a fist bump.

"Ready to fry some bad guys?" Vanellope beamed.

"Well, I'll be freezing them, not frying them." Jack chuckled. "Maybe we can have another snowball fight when we all get back."

"Yeah!" Vanellope frowned a bit then. "You'll be okay, right?"

"Don't worry about me. Just hang out here while we're gone, okay?" Jack glanced around a bit. "Have you seen Pitch?"

Vanellope burst into laughter then. "He's in mine and Ralph's little hut thingie over there..." She continued along her way, still laughing as Jack raised a brow, smirking a bit.

"Oh boy..." He said to himself, making his way to Ralph's shelter. He poked his head in, seeing Pitch place down a bowl and cross his arms angrily. Trying to stifle a laugh, he headed inside. "Hey, Pitch?"

"What do you want? I've been bothered enough for one morning!" Pitch snapped.

"Well, you're about to get bothered a lot more because Alice wants everyone to get ready to go to the mountain." Jack said. "She's feeling pretty antsy so I wouldn't keep her waiting."

"Oh, lucky me..." Pitch rolled his eyes, sighing as he rose to his feet. "You know Jack, if I had a list of impossible things I would have bet my life on to never happen, fighting alongside you would have been quite close to the top of the list." He said as he and Jack headed towards the rest of the group.

"What would have been number one?" Jack asked, smirking.

Pitch took a few moments to answer, narrowing his eyes as he saw Elsa and Ralph speaking to each other a short distance away. "... potentially losing my mate to the incredible Hulk. That's a clear winner."

Jack tried to hold back a laugh, Pitch shooting him a glare as he was not very successful. They finally reached the others, Alice rolling her eyes.

"You lot are slower than an elderly snail! We'll travel by faster methods to the edge of the forest; from there, we shall move by foot." Alice said.

As Alice, Jack, and Sandy levitated off the ground, Ralph held up his hand. "Uh, guys? Um... Bunny, Elsa and I can't fly like you guys can, so is there a way we can hitch a ride or-"

Pitch conjured a Nightmare, helping Elsa onto it before mounting the equine, seating himself behind her. "As you can see, Elsa is accounted for, so you'll just have to meet us there." Pitch smirked arrogantly.

"Pitch, don't be ridiculous..." Alice sighed.

"Don't worry about me, mates…" Bunny tapped his foot, a hole forming in the spot. "I've got myself covered."

Sandy perked up then, whirling his hand to make a sand airplane big enough to fit the two of them. He gave Ralph a nod, motioning to the plane before hopping on, conjuring safety goggles to lower onto his face.

"You're the best, Sandy." Ralph smiled, about to board when someone called out his name. He turned, his expression softening when he saw Vanellope glitching towards him, hopping up to hug his leg.

"Ralph, be careful, okay?" Vanellope said, frowning.

Ralph crouched down to hug the child, smiling lightly. "Hey, come on, look at me. You think anyone or anything is going to get past these?" He held up his fists. "They should be scared of me, not the other way around. I promise, I'll be back before you know it, kiddo."

Vanellope nodded, smiling lightly. Ralph could still see a hint of worry in her expression, glancing around at the rest of the group as they gave her a wave. Emily floated up to them, Vanellope glancing back at her as the forest nymph placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You must let them go, child." Emily said. "Allow them to do what must be done. You cannot be weak as they venture into uncertain battle, only those who endure are worthy of their company."

Vanellope reluctantly took a step back, allowing Ralph to board Sandy's plane and seat himself. He waved at her, giving her an assuring smile as they all took to flight. When they left, Vanellope glanced up at Emily, kicking her foot in the dirt lightly.

"Do you have any candy apples around here?" Vanellope asked, Emily raising a brow warily at her before floating over to a blossom tree to tend to it.

* * *

 **And there you have it! How will the battle between Alice, the Queen and both their parties play out? Is defeat for either side in the cards at this point? You'll just have to wait and see, so please stay tuned, leave a nice review in the meantime and thank you again for reading!**


	15. Battles Progressing Unexpectedly

**Good evening readers! This chapter is going to be a bit longer in order to encompass the entirety of the battle that will ensue! How will each side fare? Read on and find out! Make sure to enjoy as always!**

* * *

The group reached the edge of the forest, Pitch dismounting off his Nightmare before taking Elsa's hand, helping her down before kissing her hand lovingly. He shot Ralph a side glance as he did so, smirking as the wrecker rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"All of you, keep your eyes peeled. We won't know exactly what we're up against until we meet them head on." Alice instructed, unsheathing her vorpal blade as they ventured forth towards the mountain. As they did so, Ralph and Pitch glared at each other, Ralph cracking his knuckles.

"Hey, Pitch... you like games?" Ralph asked.

"Not particularly... though I'm curious as to why you ask." Pitch replied.

"Okay, I'll tell you what. I bet that I can defeat more bad guys than you can. Oh, and when we get to the boss level, I'm the one who's going to get the final medal." Ralph crossed his arms. "Think you can beat that?"

Pitch's eye twitched for a moment. "This isn't a video game, you moronic imbecile!" He was stopped when Alice had stopped right in front of him, poking her knife at his chest.

"If you blow our cover because you cannot control the volume of your voice, I will make sure you pay the price." She turned around, Jack tugging on the collar of his hoodie as they continued along the incline. Elsa sighed, rubbing her temples with her hands as she continued along.

Once they reached the top of the incline, the other side beginning the downward slope of the mountain's concaved interior, Alice motioned everyone to crouch down as they peeked over the edge to peer inside.

"Where are they...?" Alice breathed, narrowing her eyes warily as her hair blew lightly in a breeze.

"Now I know there was a lot more action going on in there the last time we were here." Jack said.

Elsa furrowed her brows, glancing towards the others. "Maybe they left... they could have seen us coming here."

"That's impossible. They couldn't just move out several armies of their size out this quickly. Something suspicious is going on here." Pitch said.

"Well, what are we waiting for, let's see if anyone stuck around!" Ralph exclaimed, about to hop over but Jack nudged his arm.

"Hang on, don't just go jumping into this without checking first. We should all go in together, stick close." Jack said.

Alice gave him a nod, motioning everyone to go forward, but remain vigilant and not to stray too far from the group. Their eyes darted everywhere; Sandy formed a couple of his sand ropes, Pitch conjured his scythe, Jack held onto his staff. They watched for any signs of movement, surprised when they had reached the center of the mountain without having seen a single individual present.

"Well, this is pretty boring..." Ralph commented.

Alice stomped her foot in frustration. "That bloody Queen! Heaven forbid she actually showed herself so I may have the opportunity to tear her to shreds!"

"Look Alice, Elsa may have had a point; what if they knew we were coming and they went somewhere else? What if they try to attack Emily?" Jack asked.

"That would be impossible. They cannot pass into Emily's forest, her defenses are too strong." Pitch replied.

Sandy was focused on something, narrowing his eyes as his feet touched down onto the ground to inspect something. He pressed his ear flat against the ground, furrowing his brows lightly.

Elsa was the first to notice, approaching the dream guardian. "Sandy, what are you doing?"

Sandy held up a finger to tell Elsa to wait one moment. After about a minute, he floated up, waving his hands at the others to try and get their attention. When they continued discussing the possible whereabouts of their enemies, Sandy rolled his eyes, communicating with Alice telepathically. Jack blinked when he noticed Alice stop in the middle of a sentence, slowly turning to glance at Sandy. When they both looked upward towards the top of the slope, what Sandy had been looking into was finally revealed, making Alice gasp. "Everyone, get to higher ground!" Alice shouted.

Everyone looked around with surprise, gasping as they suddenly heard the Phoenix's screech echo throughout the mountain. From the top of the slope, the firebird, in lava form, began to pour in at accelerated speeds, threatening to burn the group to a crisp once it reached them and pool at the center.

"Oh great, this is going to be Diet Cola mountain all over again!" Ralph groaned.

"Well you wanted action, you've got it!" Pitch shouted, scooping Elsa up and levitating in the air. Sandy whisked his hand, forming a sand cloud underneath Ralph to get him off the ground.

As the lava filled the mountain, higher and higher from below, the group gasped as all around them, playing cards began to swirl and descend upon them from around the mountain, card guards standing upon them as they wielded their spears. They hissed as they swooped down, Alice whipping out her pepper grinder and trying to shoot some of them down, Jack shooting ice sparks at them and staying close to her. Pitch whisked his hand, conjuring a Nightmare for Elsa to remain seated on as she sent ice blasts towards the card guards. Pitch shot bursts of black sand, Sandy using his sand ropes to send card guards flying into each other and into the lava below. As they were doing this, a portion of the lava began to rise, the Phoenix's head beginning to tower above Jack and Alice behind them, unknowingly separating them from the rest of the group.

"Alice!" Ralph shouted from the back of the Phoenix's head, its cry causing Alice and Jack to whirl around in surprise.

"Get behind me!" Jack shouted, gritting his teeth as he shot ice sparks towards it. He was able to freeze small portions of it, but the ice would just melt as more of its fire and lava washed down upon it. Alice's back was to Jack's, still trying to take down card guards. As the Phoenix opened his mouth wide to devour them both in boiling hot magma and flames, its head shook as something seemed to impact it from behind. It screeched, turning slowly as it narrowed its eyes. Elsa was there, still mounted on the Nightmare as she extended her hands. She gritted her teeth as she shot a continuous ice blast, biting her lip as the rate of her ice forming began to exceed the rate of the Phoenix producing more of its magma.

"Take me around it!" Elsa shouted to the Nightmare, the horse neighing as it galloped on the air around the gargantuan sized creature.

Jack pumped his fist into the air, smiling. "Yes, go Elsa!" He shouted, turning to assist Alice with the card guard army.

"Man, I need to actually GET somewhere!" Ralph exclaimed, looking all around him. When he spotted a card guard coming right towards him, he readied himself, rearing his fist back and knocking the card guard right into the lava below. At the same time, he managed to hop onto the flying card, waving his arms and crying out in surprise as he tried to regain his balance. "Woah… sweet!" He chuckled as he narrowed his eyes in determination. "This is what I'm talking about!"

When nearly all the card guards were taken down, and Elsa took in a deep breath as she managed to freeze a large portion of the part of the Phoenix emerging above the leveled lava, she held onto the Nightmare, the action having taken a lot out of her.

"Elsa, are you alright?" Pitch asked as he caught up with her, remaining close.

"Yes… I need a moment to rest…" Elsa said.

"You were brilliant." Pitch smiled, sneaking in a kiss and earning a smile in return. Just then however, a distant sound made Pitch turn, scanning the horizon. "I hear something!"

"So do I!" Alice shouted, keeping vigilant. "Where in the bloody hell is Bunny?" She asked, irritated.

"I have no idea, I thought he was right behind us, come to think of it… I swear, if he bailed on us I am going to freeze him solid." Jack replied.

Suddenly, upon the edge of the mountain, just before the slope dipped down to the inside, Maharaja emerged with his army, forming a ring around the group.

"Pitch Black! Bi kheden zuuny tursh yavj baina, ta nar odoo asran khamgaalagchid temtsekh ni songokh ve?" Maharaja shouted.

Pitch curled his lip a bit. "Trust me, fighting alongside the guardians is the last thing I expected to do… but it seems we both share a common enemy in the Queen!"

Maharaja laughed. "Bi tüüntei khamt ünench kheveer ilüü ter tand zuun jiliin ömnö yarij chadakhgüi züil khuuchin naiz ... biyelüülj chadakh uu gej ... nadad Toothiana darga amlasan."

At the mention of Tooth, Sandy's eyes widened in anger, clenching his teeth.

Pitch shrugged. "Well then… I do hope that you don't take it personally when I help to take down your army."

The Monkey King's smile melted into a grimace, growling lowly. "Daraa ni ta ööriin songolt, Pitch Black... tsergüüd khiisen! Todorkhoi!"

"Hey… those are the guys who tried to kidnap Vanellope when I first came here!" Ralph shouted.

The group readied themselves as the monkey minions set up their bows and arrows, Maharaja holding up his hand as they waited for his command to shoot.

"Zorilgotoi av!" Maharaja shouted, all of the minions pulling back on their drawstrings.

"You may all want to wait, but I'm not a patient woman!" Alice shouted, gritting her teeth as she readied her pepper grinder, unleashing a series of scalding pepper corns at the minions, knocking a few down right off the bat as they tumbled down the outer wall of the mountain.

Maharaja whipped his head towards Alice's direction, crying out angrily. "Galyn! Khünii okhin ni galyn!"

The minions cried out, all shooting their arrows towards Alice. Jack cried out, forced to hesitate to avoid being hit in the assault of arrows himself. Alice gritted her teeth, ceasing her attack to burst into butterflies, scrambling to dodge the dozens of arrows flying through the air straight for her. She reverted back to herself when she was flown back into the frozen Phoenix head, hissing as an arrow had embedded into her shoulder.

"Alice!" Jack cried, flying towards her to shoot ice sparks at the minion army below them as they began to set up more arrows.

Elsa gasped as she realized the impact of Alice hitting the Phoenix's head made the ice begin to crack, steaming vapor rising from the growing cracks. She bit her lip, having regained some of her strength as she extended her hands, trying to keep the Phoenix incapacitated. As she did this, Pitch kept her covered, shooting bursts of sand at Maharaja's army.

Ralph was about to dive down to one side of the army to attack, when a distant, but unpleasantly familiar sound reached his ears, his eyes widening. "Uh, guys? We've got company!"

Sandy turned as he finished knocking out a few more minions, gasping inaudibly as all around them, the eerie glow of a horde of cybugs, led by Turbo, began to close in upon the mountain as they approached from all directions. Alice's expression darkened when she noticed that Turbo was not alone.

On his back, the Queen was seated, her eyes hungry for satisfaction as she grinned wickedly.

"Now, Jack." Alice breathed.

"Now what?" Jack asked.

"Now… this confrontation is truly beginning." Alice answered, her right hand reaching over to the arrow sticking out of her left shoulder, wincing lightly as she yanked it out, discarding it to the side.

Pitch hissed as an arrow just barely grazed him, growling as his patience for Maharaja's army was wearing thin. However, in the next moment, this would not even be a thought.

Hans, who was using his own flying card to travel by, smirked darkly when he saw that Pitch was distracted by the minions, Elsa not far behind him but not paying attention as she tried to keep the Phoenix from breaking free from her encasement of ice. He dove down, his speed accelerating. By the time Elsa saw him coming straight for her, it was too late. The Nightmare attempted to flee, but Hans shot a burst a flame, dissipating the Nightmare into black sand. Elsa gasped with horror as she felt herself falling for a split moment, that moment cut off abruptly when Hans grabbed her hand, making a sharp turn upward as he carried the ice queen with her.

"PITCH!" Elsa screamed as she was carried away, the Nightmare King whirling around and gasping in shock. His expression then twisted into one of pure rage, soaring after them.

"Alice, wait!" Jack cried as Alice soared straight for Turbo and the Queen. She took out her teapot cannon, flying all around them as she sent wads of tea steaming towards them, Turbo having to stop short and avoid him or the Queen being hit. Jack tried to follow her, but stopped short when a group of cybugs surrounded him.

"Get out of my way!" Jack shouted, waving his staff and shooting ice sparks into their face. He then used his staff to smash at their frozen faces, incapacitating them. When one came at him from behind, unhinging its jaw to eat Jack whole, it was impacted from the side at the last second, descending into the lava below. Jack whirled around to see Ralph, each of them giving each other a nod before readying themselves, more cybugs closing in.

"We can take these guys, it'll be a piece of cake!" Ralph said.

"But Alice is out there by herself!" Jack exclaimed.

Ralph looked to where she was, pointing. "No she isn't!" Jack looked in the same direction briefly, sighing a bit with relief when he saw Sandy flying towards her. "Thank you Sandy…" He whispered.

"Queen of hearts!" Alice screamed, her eyes full of anger. "Dismount immediately and fight me yourself!"

The Queen glanced up at her, chuckling lowly. "Poor little Alice, I suppose Jack just can't service you in this manner… I suppose he does in other ways; after all, why else would he remain with a delusional lunatic?" She laughed.

"You're one to talk about being delusional!" Alice snapped, Sandy joining her side as he too narrowed his eyes.

"Ah… I remember you briefly…" The Queen smirked. "Such an insignificant little pest, you shall be dealt with soon enough!"

"It's gonna be fun crunching your bones up, girlie!" Turbo grinned, flexing his claws.

"Oh, sod off, you cur!" Alice shouted, diving straight for the Queen. When Turbo tried to grab her, Sandy lashed out his sand ropes, snapping them at Turbo's hands to keep them away from her. The Queen spat fire at Alice, dodging her attacks and slicing at her tentacles as they emerged.

Meanwhile, Pitch continued his chase after Hans, growling as he burst into black sand and managing to stop the arrogant prince when he materialized in front of him. Forming an arrow out of his sand, he narrowed his eyes darkly.

"If you value your pitiful life, boy, you shall release her immediately." Pitch spat.

Hans maintained his balance on the card, glancing down at the dangling Elsa in his hand for a moment as he smirked at Pitch, shrugging. "Have it your way, then." He chuckled, letting go of Elsa's hand. The young woman gasped as she felt herself falling, the lava below coming closer and closer to her.

Pitch widened his eyes, crying out her name as he dove after her. Hans laughed, he himself diving after Pitch in an attempt to prevent him from catching her.

Jack and Ralph had done a good number on the cybug swarm, the ice guardian gasping when he saw Elsa falling, threatening to land into the magma below. He whirled around, calling out to Ralph.

"Elsa is in trouble, I have to help!" Jack cried.

When Ralph saw what was happening, his heart skipped a beat. "I'll take care of these guys, go, go!" He shouted.

Jack sped as fast as he could past a few cybugs, narrowing his eyes when he saw Hans about to attack Pitch. He went straight for him, colliding right into Hans' side to get him off of the Nightmare King's tail. Nearly falling off his flying card, Hans took a few moments to regain himself, shaking his head before glaring at Jack for a moment. He then thought to himself as the ice guardian levitated with his staff pointed at him. His eyes momentarily looked towards the Queen before refocusing on Jack; he knew nothing of Jack's strength and abilities hands-on, and he would certainly be doing the Queen a service if he kept him distracted, at the very least. Hans held his hands up, trying to soften his expression.

"You must be Jack Frost… am I correct?" Hans asked.

"Yeah… what about it, Hans? Yeah, I know who you are." Jack replied, maintaining his position.

"Look… I'm going to tell you something that the Queen wanted to tell you herself, but she's a bit in a bind right now." Hans said.

"Yeah, I kind of see that… with MY girlfriend." Jack said, glaring at the prince.

"The Queen doesn't want all of this animosity… all of this fighting, all of this struggle…" Hans said, furrowing his brows. "If you would just… compromise… all of this can stop, right now…"

Jack gripped his staff tighter. "Give me one reason why I should believe that." He growled. "You think I don't know what she wants? She wants to kill Alice… I'm not going to let that happen!"

A hole emerged just outside the mountain, ears poking out of it and flickering for a moment before he hopped out, looking around and dusting himself off. "Blimey, I've lost my touch when it comes to directions…" He looked up, seeing the mountain and all of the fighting going on. "I've got to get up there!" He exclaimed, dashing up the mountain. Not anticipating what was there, when he saw monkey minions keeping their posts at the ring of the mountain, he skidded to a stop, eyes widening when he was mere feet behind them. Ahead, he saw that the inside of the mountain was filled with lava, gulping inaudibly as he attempted to tiptoe behind them. When his foot disturbed a few rocks that tumbled down the mountain behind him, he winced, one minion glancing behind him. The monkey's eyes widened when he saw Bunny, the Easter guardian chuckling nervously as he waved at him comically.

"Tuulai asran khamgaalagch end baina! Tüüniig avakh!" The one minion shouted, getting the attention of the others.

"Oh bloody hell!" Bunny groaned, grabbing his boomerangs and unhinging the latches so the blades inside could pop out. He sent them flying so the nearby minions would duck, giving Bunny the chance to throw egg bombs at them and knock them over. Maharaja looked to his right, seeing Bunny in the distance. He shouted angrily, telling a group of minions near him to go after Bunny. He bit his lip as he scrambled for a way to get out of this sticky situation, doing a double take when he saw what looked to be a large playing card hovering in the air close to the slope's edge. He glanced behind him, seeing the minions gaining on him, before bracing himself for the jump. He grunted, crying out as he landed onto the card, wobbling a bit as he gained his balance. When he looked down, if his complexion could be seen, it would have been drained of color. "I hate heights… and volcanoes…" Bunny whined, taking a short time to become familiar with the mechanics of the floating card.

Turbo's patience was wearing thin, growling as he grabbed Sandy in his large hand. "Gotcha, you little cereal crisp!" He cackled, lifting Sandy to drop him into his mouth, but blinked in surprise when he opened his hand to find just a small remnant of sand fall from his palm. He inspected his hand quizzically, snapping out of it when he felt a sudden light tapping at the top of his helmet. He looked up, his eyes crossing to see Sandy bend over, standing on top of his head, waving. Turbo scowled angrily, about to grab him when Sandy backed up, punching his fists into the racer's helmet. "Hey, what the- no- stop that- oh you are so going to get it, you little pile of crust!" As he began to move erratically, the Queen was jostled to and fro, crying out as she lost balance, slipping off of Turbo's back. "Oh, yikes!" He grabbed her with his legs, holding her snug to him.

"I can't very well fight her from down here, you clumsy imbecile!" The Queen shouted. She gasped lightly when Alice lowered to her level, raising a brow and smirking when she held up her pepper grinder, taking aim.

"Any last words, your highness?" Alice asked.

Hans was continuing to try to be diplomatic with Jack when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the Queen was in a bind. He narrowed his eyes, glancing at Jack once before whirling in the Queen's direction to attempt to send a fire ball at Alice.

"NO!" Jack shouted, lunging forward to pull Hans back, his arm flailing a bit and missing its aim.

In the distance, Alice noticed the fire ball soar past her, missing her by a few feet. She looked back to see if there was a new threat upon her, the distraction giving the Queen an advantage. She smirked, noticing a floating card hovering nearby. She broke free from Turbo's hold, cackling as she landed upon the card, getting away. When Alice realized she had missed her opportunity, she screamed on the top of her lungs, chasing after her.

Turbo finally managed to grab hold of Sandy, growling and rearing his hand back, hurling the dream guardian so he went soaring back towards the center of the mountain.

Bunny had been heading towards Alice to help her when he saw Sandy hurling through the air straight towards him. He tried to stop, but was unable to in time as Sandy collided right into him, sending them both reeling backwards as they collided into a wall of ice.

"Crickey, Sandy!" Bunny cried out, stabilizing after a few moments, helping Sandy to remain afloat as he shook his head. "What the hell happened, mate?"

Sandy grimaced, making a sand picture of Turbo followed by a flicking motion with his hand.

Bunny winced. "Oi… alright, let's see what everyone is up to so we can-"

In that moment, Sandy cut off Bunny's sentence as he tapped his arm, pointing behind the Easter guardian. Bunny turned, tilting his head as the ice behind him began to crack, water vapor rising from the cracks as frozen magma seemed to begin to move inside the huge ice encasement.

"Uh... Sandy? Mind telling me what the hell this is, mate?" Bunny asked, pointing at the steam rising as Sandy grabbed on his arm, Bunny moving back on the floating card as chunks of ice began to fall into the bubbling magma below.

Meanwhile, Elsa and Pitch were fighting off Maharaja's army as well as a few remaining card guards, trying to knock down minions and avoid their arrows and spears. When Elsa heard the Phoenix breaking from his icy prison some distance behind them, she furrowed her brows. "Pitch, I have to help, they won't be able to fight him!"

The Nightmare King glanced back, swearing under his breath. "Very well, I can handle myself here!"

Elsa gave him a nod, patting the Nightmare she was mounted on to turn on its heels, galloping through the air towards the Phoenix, Bunny and Sandy on the other side of the head. She was nearly there when the Nightmare skidded to a stop, neighing as the Queen rose up to block them, chuckling on the floating card. She grinned darkly, licking her lips. "Well, well... if it isn't little Elsa, still as graceful as a swan... I shall make sure you fall just as gracefully to your death!" She hissed, whipping out tentacles towards her.

She gasped, the Nightmare reeling backwards to avoid being attacked. Elsa tried to shoot ice blasts at her, but it was difficult from the Nightmare jostling her around. She furrowed her brows, noticing Alice coming to her aid. However, not only was Turbo right on her tail with a small cluster of cybugs, but the Phoenix had just about broken free, shaking off any remaining ice off and igniting with renewed vigor. Its screech echoed through the air, looming over Sandy and Bunny menacingly.

"Let her be!" Alice shouted to the Queen, stopping short when cybugs surrounded her. She took out her pepper grinder, unleashing pepper corns and keeping them at bay as quickly as possible. If Calhoun had been there to see her, she would have considered her an expert. As she whirled around to confront Turbo, his hand slammed into her hard, Alice having to use all of her strength to stop herself from soaring through the air. Circling around to gain momentum, she wielded her hobby horse, scowling as she soared back towards Turbo.

"Oh, well this is just bloody fantastic!" Bunny screamed, he and Sandy trying to flee from the Phoenix. Out of the corner of his eyes, Sandy noticed Turbo joining the Queen to fight Elsa, and in the other direction, Jack and Hans sending ice sparks and fireballs flying. He then looked farther behind him, gasping lightly when Pitch was hit in the back of his shoulder with an arrow when he turned and tried to go to Elsa's aid. Sandy exhaled sharply, soaring over in his direction.

Alice screamed as she reared her hobby horse back, the weapon colliding right against the side of Turbo's head. As they battled, Elsa returned her focus to the Queen. When she heard Pitch grunt in pain behind her, she and the Nightmare whirled around.

"Pitch!" She screamed, about to abandon the Queen to go to him.

"Don't you turn your back on me, girl!" The Queen shouted, about to pursue her when a sand rope wrapped around one of her tentacles, stopping her from grabbing Elsa. She whipped her head towards the dream guardian, screeching in anger.

Elsa stopped near Pitch, her hand reaching out to take his. "Pitch, are you alright?" She gasped lightly, his fingertips covered in black blood.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me." Pitch replied. "I took out most of the minions out on this end, we just have to keep an eye out for anything else that will try to attack us-"

Elsa gasped then when she saw the Phoenix hot on Bunny's tail; quite literally, as Bunny was trying to fan the flames from his tail while trying to keep some distance between him and the ruthless fire bird.

"Of course, it all just grew back and you're getting me down to the skin again!" Bunny screamed, trying to dodge another jet stream of fire when a bit managed to graze his arm, the Easter guardian crying out in pain as the impact knocked him off his floating card.

"Bunny!" Elsa cried, urging the Nightmare to move quickly. They dove down at accelerated speeds, Elsa biting her lip as she shot her hand out, making a curved shaped iceberg for Bunny to land on. He slid on it, Elsa moving her hand so the ice continued upwards from the quickly melting iceberg, drawing near to take his hand. She winced when she noticed his other arm was badly burned, grunting as she helped him onto the Nightmare.

"I owe you one, Sheila!" Bunny exclaimed, hissing as his burned arm began to tremble from the bodily shock. "I'm in bad shape, Elsa..." He groaned.

"It's alright, we'll get you back to safety before your wounds get any worse. Pitch is hurt also, I need to get back to him." Elsa replied.

Jack cried out as he flew at Hans, the prince trying to take a defensive approach as he dodged most of Jack's ice sparks. One managed to graze his leg however, Hans hissing as he staggered a bit on the air. He took this opportunity to look around, gasping when he noticed a very injured Bunny had been rescued by Elsa, Alice was fiercely fighting against Turbo, and Sandy was trying to keep the Queen off Alice's back. He saw Pitch coming to their aid as well, but he too was injured as he nursed his shoulder. He was about to help Alice when he noticed the Phoenix speed past him, going straight for Bunny and Elsa.

"No!" Jack shouted, pursuing the Phoenix and shooting ice sparks at him to slow him down. Elsa gasped, holding both her hands up as she sent blast after blast of ice at the fire bird. With Jack and Elsa both unleashing their ice attacks, the Phoenix decided to back off for now, diving down into the mountain to recuperate. He had not been out of dormancy long, his power not yet fully regenerated. Jack exhaled sharply, floating over to Elsa and Bunny. "Hey, are you two alright?"

"Not me, mate, I'm about halfway to a roasted rabbit dinner..." Bunny groaned lightly as his burned arm trembled.

"I need to get back to Pitch, he was hit by an arrow and I need to make sure he's alright. Will you be able to take Bunny?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah, I can handle him." Jack said, carefully helping him to transfer from the Nightmare onto his back, balancing him securely before giving Elsa a nod. "Please keep an eye on Alice, I'm going to come back as soon as I can." Jack said before soaring off into the distance swiftly.

Alice cried out as one of Turbo's large claws grazed her side, leaving a thin but stinging cut. Alice had left quite some damage, but still had a lot of strength to burn through. Sandy noticed that Alice was becoming weary out of the corner of his eyes, using a sand rope to whack the Queen's face with it, making her shriek angrily. He took this opportunity to make a sand ball, sticking his tongue out to concentrate. He then tossed it, the sand ball hitting Turbo right on his forehead. He blinked for a moment, his wings still fluttering as his head hung limply. He snored lightly as the dream sand put him to sleep, little sandy cars driving around his head.

The Queen hissed, her hand shooting out to grab at Sandy when Alice dove in, slicing a rather large cut into her palm. The Queen cried out in pain, using her other hand to back hand Alice. She inhaled deeply then, about to spew fire at her. As she did, Pitch suddenly swooped in, shielding Alice with his black sand to avoid being burned. After several moments, the Queen stopped, her expression softening a bit as her spine straightened.

"Thanks for that!" Alice exclaimed.

"Your prince charming is escorting Bunnymund back to the forest, he was badly burned and most likely needs your help." Pitch said to her.

Alice shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere until I murder that bloody Queen-"

"I'll handle her, go." Pitch said lowly.

Alice narrowed her eyes warily, glancing back to see Maharaja scowling angrily as he retreated his army. Alice realized they had certainly left a dent today; though she would not be satisfied until the Queen was dead, she knew that Bunny must have been harmed quite badly for Jack to have to take him out of the fight. "Fine... but don't be long." She said, soaring off into the distance, Sandy following her after taking a quick glance at the area.

Pitch watched Alice leave for a brief moment, turning to conjure his scythe as he faced the Queen. He gripped the handle tightly, about to rear it back when the Queen spoke.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Pitch..." The Queen spoke, allowing the blood from her injured left palm to run down her fingers, dripping onto the card she was floating on.

"You're not going to talk me out of what I need to do, your highness." Pitch spat. "My mind is not so easily swayed."

"Oh, I know it isn't. I always admired your strength." She replied, her voice a bit quieter. "What is your reasoning for your desire to kill me? Have I done anything so terrible to you?"

"Yes, you have... you will forever pursue Elsa's life so long as you're breathing." Pitch replied.

The Queen closed her eyes tightly for a moment, reopening them as she inhaled sharply. "You should know that love... or the loss of it, rather... can make one do great and terrible things." The Queen said.

"And help me to understand, how can you know of the loss of love when you have never felt it to begin with?" Pitch asked.

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong, Pitch... how do you think I saved you from Alice's blade in the tundra when you ventured there to confront her and Jack Frost? I felt it here... that you were in danger." She placed a hand on her chest, leaving a bit of blood on her dress. "Every fiber of my body was screaming to save your life, that I could not let you die..." She gravitated closer to him, furrowing her brows. "Can you understand that?"

Pitch hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I already told you, my mind will not be swayed by your words."

"And I already expressed to you that I know this, my darling... however, that does not speak for your heart. It is so difficult to maintain light in your heart... such an inconvenience... but to allow it to continue to dwell in the darkness, it's so easy..." The Queen spoke barely above a whisper, Pitch's brow twisting as the Queen's hand extended to rest on his, not offering any resistance as she lowered his gently. His scythe burst into black sand, dissipating as he felt himself unable to move.

Elsa had finally spotted where Pitch was, the Nightmare galloping towards him. When she saw him lower his weapon, the Queen drawing closer to him, she exhaled sharply, her eyes widening as her expression became a mixture of shock and confusion.

Hans had recovered from Jack's ice spark hitting his leg, growling angrily to himself. When he noticed that Elsa had suddenly become a sitting duck however, he smirked darkly, discreetly soaring towards her.

"Ugh, finally! I thought those cybugs would never stop coming!" Ralph exclaimed, dusting some small parts off his shoulders. He looked around, his eyes narrowing cautiously. "Okay, where did like, half of our party go...?" He asked himself, doing a double take when he saw Hans speeding towards something. When he realized that this something was Elsa, he gasped, growling lowly as he used his own floating card to go after him.

At this point, Elsa's expression twisted into anger, rearing her hand back to send a spike of ice at the Queen. Before she could do so, a fireball collided right into the Nightmare, nearly knocking her off balance as she gasped. Hans dove in, about to attack Elsa again when she countered his next fireball, the two bursts cancelling each other out.

"HEY!" Ralph shouted, skidding to a stop as he stood by the ice queen. "Leave her alone!"

Hans chuckled lowly, sending a fireball straight for them. Ralph grunted, punching the fireball with his fist to deflect it, Hans widening his eyes in surprise as it smacked him right in the chest, his own attack sending him soaring backwards. Ralph yelped in pain, his hand on fire as he tried to wave it out.

"Hold still!" Elsa cried, waving her hand to make a snow cloud, the flurries putting out the flames.

"Oh man... thanks, Elsa." Ralph smiled.

"You too..." Elsa replied, not as enthusiastically as she returned her attentions to Pitch. Ralph noticed this, raising a confused brow as she began to speed towards them.

The Queen's face was inches from Pitch's, her eyes half lidded before her head ducked down a bit, regarding his injured shoulder. She placed her good hand upon it, using her limited regenerative ability to slowly heal his wound. Her eyes flickered back up to his face, observing him for a moment. "Twice now, I have saved you..." She spoke barely above a whisper, whirling around when she heard Elsa and Ralph coming for them. With one last fleeting glance at Pitch, she fled, soaring down into the mountain in retreat. Pitch was left dumbfounded, only snapped out of his stupor when Elsa finally reached him.

"Where are the others?" Elsa did not hesitate to ask, avoiding his gaze.

Pitch motioned his head behind him. "They followed Bunny and Jack into the forest... presumably to help- what are you doing?"

Elsa dismounted the Nightmare, stepping carefully onto the floating card Ralph was standing on. "She can take you back, you shouldn't have too much trouble sitting upright now." Elsa glared, Ralph clearing his throat before using the card to go to the edge of the mountain. It would not go any farther than that, the two starting to head back by foot.

Pitch glanced back at her, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He glanced up when the Nightmare snorted at him, looking at him with an expression of disapproval. "Don't do that." Pitch sighed, mounting the equine before following Elsa. He slowed when he reached her, the Nightmare trotting alongside her. "Elsa, please allow me to take you back, we can discuss why you're frustrated when we-"

"I'm going to walk home, so let me be and just go." Elsa said without looking at him, quickening her pace. Ralph remained silent, not knowing what to say and not wanting to interfere this time. When Pitch had the Nightmare trot in front of her to block her path, his expression tensed a bit.

"Elsa, you must know that you are jumping to conclusions with whatever you are assuming I-" Pitch stopped when Elsa extended her hand, freezing his hair solid. She placed her hand to the side, glaring at him.

"This is my last warning. Step out of my way and let me pass." Elsa said, and Pitch sighed as he reluctantly obeyed. He and the Nightmare took to the air, entering the forest in the distance.

Elsa watched him, hugging herself as the anger dissipated in her expression. She closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling sharply as she continued onward. Ralph frowned when he noticed Elsa wiping her eyes with her hands, moisture collecting on her eyelashes. She blinked when she felt something hug around her side, glancing up to see Ralph placing a hand around her in a comforting gesture. This was not for competition or sport, or because he wanted to earn brownie points.

She had become his friend, and he simply wanted to help to ease her sadness right now.

Elsa allowed him to draw her close, whispering a small thank you as they headed back into the forest.

* * *

 **Oh dear... well, everyone may have survived, but will Bunny be able to recover from his wounds? Will Pitch be able to redeem himself with Elsa, or will his alliance with the heroes begin to weaken? Find out more in the next chapter when the drama continues! Thank you again for reading, please leave a nice review and stay tuned for more updates!**


	16. Beginning Swift Recoveries

**Good evening everyone! I've given you all some time to recover from that battle, hope it was intense enough for you! As the heroes recover, now they may be battling among themselves as tensions linger. Read on my friends and please enjoy!**

* * *

Vanellope glanced up, hopping to her feet when she saw Jack, Bunny, Alice and Sandy returning; Alice holding her side where she had been cut. A part of her became worried when she didn't see the rest of the group, running up to them.

"Jack!" Vanellope cried. "Are you okay-" Her eyes widened when she saw Bunny's condition, stopping short and glancing up at the ice guardian.

"Don't worry, he's going to be okay." Jack replied, forcing a smile as he helped Bunny to their shelter to lay down. Vanellope followed the two worriedly, peeking in and twiddling her fingers.

Sandy heaved an inaudible sigh, doing a double take and covering his mouth when he noticed the left side of Alice's dress was starting to stain from the blood dripping from her wound. He was about to get her attention, when he dove forward to catch Alice as she passed out. He gently rested her on the ground, about to call for help when Emily appeared behind him.

"She's lost much blood. She needs healing and nourishment." Emily said, whisking her hand as special leaves began to emerge from the ground on a growing stalk. Emily plucked them as well as a few other herbs and berries, waving her hand to form a bowl out of weaved roots. She took a short, thick piece of branch to mash the mixture into a paste, handing it to Sandy to apply to Alice's wound before tearing off a piece of her dress. It seemed to regenerate, seeming to merge with her skin as Pitch's attire did with his body. It flowed like silk in the breeze, Sandy quickly wrapping it around Alice's waist.

"Emily! Bunny was burned really bad and needs-" Jack stopped, widening his eyes when he saw Alice was lying on the ground. "Alice?" He ran over to her, falling to his knees. "What happened?"

"She's lost much blood, she will heal after some rest." Emily answered.

Jack swore under his breath. "I told her to take care of that sooner..." Jack sighed as he bit his lip. "I'm going to take her inside; Emily, Bunny is burned pretty badly and needs your help."

Sandy glanced up when Emily's expression changed to one of slight shock. "Bunnymund..." She glanced towards the shelter, moving at a quicker pace inside. She knelt down beside him, her expression becoming serious once more as she inspected him.

"I will gather what I need to help reduce the pain..." Emily said, bending down to place her palms on the ground, her form beginning to glow.

Bunny watched as his eyelids began to droop, exhaustion overwhelming him as he passed out. Emily continued to collect ingredients to make a natural salve to help heal Bunny's burns, stopping when she noticed he had fallen asleep. She observed him for a moment, tilting her head lightly before resuming her activities.

Jack and Sandy brought Alice into the shelter, laying her on the opposite end from Bunny. Jack sat beside her, taking her hand in his as he pet it lightly with his thumb. He closed his eyes for a moment, glancing over at the others.

"Look at this… one fight and we're already a mess…" Jack sighed. "Good thing Alice is a guardian… but she's not strong enough yet. Not enough people believe in her…" He reached over, brushing some hair out of her face. "She's so hell bent on bringing the Queen down, she's willing to bring herself down too. I'm not going to lose her again."

Sandy gently pat Jack's shoulder, snapping to alertness when he heard a sound. He heard Vanellope running towards it soon after, stopping to see Pitch dismounting his Nightmare, no one else returning with him.

"Hey… where's Ralph? And Elsa?" Vanellope asked.

Pitch glanced over at her, petting the Nightmare for a moment before moving forward. "They're on their way." He replied, looking around. "Where is Alice?"

"She's in her little house thing… she got hurt real bad…" Vanellope answered. "Bunny did too…"

"Fantastic…" Pitch sighed, sitting on a rock and holding his head in his hands. Before Vanellope could ask any other questions, She heard footsteps approaching in the distance, beaming.

"Ralph!" Vanellope exclaimed, glitching to them and hugging the wrecker's leg. "You're both okay!"

Ralph chuckled, scooping Vanellope up and hugging her gently. "Didn't I tell you that, you nutty bar?"

"Hey, I taught you that name, copy cat!" Vanellope laughed, looking over at Elsa before glitching out of Ralph's hands, surprising Elsa when she appeared in front of her. Forcing a smile, Elsa bent down so that the two could hug. "I'm glad you're back." Vanellope smiled.

"Thank you… so am I." Elsa stood up after a few moments, hugging her arms as she sighed lightly. "I need to take some time to rest. I'll talk to you later, Vanellope." She turned to Ralph, smiling sadly. "Ralph… thank you." She turned, heading towards the main encampment.

Pitch rose to his feet as Elsa made her way towards his direction, exhaling sharply when she walked past him without uttering a word. Tightening his lips for a moment, he followed her until she turned sharply.

"I need some time to think. Alone." Elsa said, turning back to go along her way.

"Elsa, can you please allow me to at least offer you an explanation as to what happened?" Pitch asked, becoming frustrated when he received no answer, Elsa tensing up as he continued to follow her.

"Oh boy, he's in the devil dog house…" Vanellope shook her head as she and Ralph reached camp. Jack emerged from the shelter, hearing Elsa and Pitch having a disagreement.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, looking between Vanellope and the others.

Pitch sighed, trying to convince Elsa to give him a minute of her time. "Will you stop acting like a child for one moment and discuss this like an adult? Ignoring me is going to accomplish nothing-"

At this, Elsa stopped short, Pitch suddenly blindsided when she whirled around. Foregoing her powers and deciding to be a bit old fashioned, Pitch's eyes widened from the impact of Elsa slapping him across the face. It was sudden, and it was hard. When he willed himself to look at her, his shock only increased when every fiber of her expression was filled with contempt. Her eyes were filled with anger and hurt, her spine rigid as she clenched her fists.

"Is that what you think of me, Pitch? I am just some child, some little play thing for you to entertain yourself with and give you something to occupy your time? A little girl who is so naïve that you need to scold her, shield her, keep her away from those you aren't fond of while you mingle with the very monstrosity who will stop at nothing to destroy us all?!" Elsa screamed, beginning to tremble as angry tears filled her eyes.

"Elsa…" Pitch shook his head, his voice soft now. "You know that isn't the truth."

"My eyes must be lying to me then. You are still so vulnerable to her. You feel something for her." Elsa spat.

"I feel nothing but loathing for her." Pitch tried to extend his hands, hesitating when Elsa stepped back.

"Why do you love me, Pitch? Do you think I'm beautiful? Vulnerable to fear, so I am easily manipulated? My entire life, I have been controlled by something, I will not allow it any longer!" She shouted. "So why, Pitch? Why do you love me?"

"I- I… your strength, your… grace…" Pitch breathed. "… you are so much like her…" He said barely above a whisper. "… like my Lady…"

"But I am not her." Elsa replied, glancing away. "Perhaps that is why you stray… because deep down, you know I will never replace the one you lost." She shook her head, heading into the small shelter she and Pitch shared. When he tried to enter after her, she made a thick wall of ice to prevent him from coming inside, Pitch hanging his head sadly as he slowly turned to reluctantly leave Elsa to herself. Inside, Elsa hugged her knees, closing her eyes tightly as she sobbed quietly.

Deciding it was best to stay out of it, Jack retreated back into his own shelter to watch over Alice. Ralph frowned, sighing as he headed to his own little hut to rest a bit himself.

As clouds obscured the light peeking through the treetops, seeming to leave the area devoid of color, Pitch seated himself on a flat rock, holding his head in hands as he stared at the ground. He glanced up when he heard someone approaching him, exhaling sharply. "I am in no condition to bear your antics now, child. Let me be."

Vanellope stopped, making a face. "Hey, come on, King of Boogers! I may not particularly like you, but you don't kick a devil dog when he's down." She hopped up, seating herself next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No I don't want to talk about it, you mangy little swine!" Pitch screamed, shoving Vanellope away with his hand.

The girl looked up at him, her brows twisting as her lips tightened. "Fine!" She shouted. "All I ever do is try to be nice! And what do I get for it? I always get pushed around and get told that I'm just some mistake! Maybe everyone would be happier if my code had never been programmed!" Vanellope stormed over to a tree, kicking at the dirt until she fell down, hiccupping lightly as she began to cry. Pitch glanced up at her, tilting his head. This wasn't fake crying as she had pulled in the past, this was real. She has been such a smart talker, Pitch thought, that he had forgotten one very important fact:

Vanellope was still a child.

A child from a virtual universe... but a child nonetheless. A child without parents, a child without guidance, friends, anyone to rely on, until Ralph had come along... all that time before then, she had been completely on her own, and she was criticized- no, she was hated, for being different. She had no one in the world to turn to.

In the low light, as Vanellope tore out her hair tie and threw it aside, allowing her hair to fall loosely... Pitch blinked as a memory came to him.

 _Kozmotis furrowed a brow at the sound of quiet sobbing. He tilted his head, frowning deeply when he came upon Emily Jane, his precious jewel, hugging her knees and wiping tears from her face. He bent down, lifting her face to look upon it._

 _"My dear Emily Jane... why do you weep?" Kozmotis asked, holding the child's hands._

 _The girl inhaled sharply, her bright, shimmering eyes looking into his. "Father, I had a nightmare."_

 _"Shh... nothing shall harm you." Kozmotis smiled, gently hugging the girl to him._

 _"But father... I was all alone. You and mother were gone."_

Pitch sighed, rising to his feet to approach Vanellope. He bent down, taking the hair tie into his hand before bending down in front of her, extending it to her. Vanellope looked at it a moment before looking up at him, snatching it out of his hand.

"You don't have to be angry, I won't litter your daughter's woods anymore." She was about to messily tie her hair up when Pitch stopped her gently. "Hey, what are you-" Pitch said nothing, his hands slowly making a braid out of her raven colored hair, tying the end as he allowed it to rest on her shoulder. Vanellope blinked, looking down at it. "Hey... this is like Elsa's."

Pitch smiled sadly. "Believe it or not... I knew how to be nice once. But then I lost all the reasons I had to be. I became what you see now... as you term it, the 'Boogerman.'" He sighed, getting to his feet to walk away.

Vanellope blinked, jumping to her feet. "Hey! Wait a minute!" Vanellope glitched in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. "If you were nice before, why can't you be nice again? You'd be doing ME a big favor..." She said, crossing her arms.

"It's not that simple." Pitch said, walking around her. Vanellope had a thought then, glitching back in front of him.

"Hey, you know what you need? You need a good bonding activity." Vanellope said.

"Bonding activity?" Pitch raised a brow. "Very well, I'll bite. I can't seem to be rid of you anyhow."

"Ralph and I became real good pals when we made my very own kart together! Being you still owe me one, and I am an expert racer... why not make one together? If you're nice, I'll take you for a spin afterwards!" Vanellope grinned. "Come on, big guy... you know you want to!"

Pitch ran a hand down his face. "If it will get you off my back, I'll do it." He heaved a sigh. "What do I have to do?"

"Well first, we have to get parts, silly!" Vanellope piped.

"You expect me to find parts to build a motor vehicle in the middle of a forest, how?" Pitch asked.

"I dunno, ask your horse guys to find something!" Vanellope replied.

Pitch rolled his eyes, whisking his hand to conjure several Nightmares. "Save me from an early grave and fetch whatever the girl needs."

The Nightmares looked at each other quizzically before heading off in all different directions. Pitch glanced over as Vanellope drew pictures with a stick in the dirt, sighing lightly as everything seemed to churn in his mind like a sloshy mixture.

* * *

The Queen strode forward quickly, the mountain no longer filled with magma as Maharaja and his army carried all of their things back to where they were originally set up. The Queen waved her hand, her other having been bandaged by Hans. "I want this place to be cleaned up and ready for when she arrives!" She shouted.

"Tany Erkhem mini, tsereg olon tulaldaand sharkhadsan baiv; bi tedniig ta nar deer ankhaarlaa khanduulj baigaa khüükhded ilüü davuu ezemshdeg gej bodoj baina." Maharaja said, waving a hand towards his minions.

"Concentrate on your army and assist them in their recuperation. I alone shall be responsible for the child. If you request my aid, I shall command my card guards to fulfill any tasks that are needed to bring your minions back to full capacity. Fear not, Maharaja, any losses in this battle were not done so in vain." The Queen said, glancing around and noticing Hans approaching, listening in, the Phoenix in deep meditation, and Turbo still snoring away, some of his cybugs nestled with him. "The opposition is weakening, I can already see it."

"How so, your highness?" Hans asked, the Queen glancing over at him.

"Did you not see it yourself?" The Queen replied.

"They are very formidable... they each have great strength and abilities... it will be difficult to defeat them." Hans said from his observations. "However, whatever it takes, I will do what I can to overwhelm Jack Frost."

The Queen chuckled lowly, taking a step forward before turning to the both of them. "Indeed, you are correct, Hans... individually, they may have their own gifts and talents to offer. But alone, they are weak against us. The bonds between them are deteriorating quickly. These bonds are not as strongly forged as they were when I encountered them last time. We must further wear upon those bonds and destroy them, one by one. That is how we break them down, that is how we make them submit! And once they do so, we shall advance upon those hidden away in their fortresses."

"Toothiana bidend nuugdsan baina; yaaj bid ch gesen ter nuugdaj baigaa bol sain medekhgüi bol tüüniig olokhyn tuld khüleej yostoi ve?" Maharaja asked.

"In time, the child shall give us what we need to know. When Toothiana is located, she shall be yours for the taking. The wait now shall be rewarded with ultimate satisfaction later on..." The Queen answered.

A moment later, a card guard approached, the Queen turning as it hissed a whisper into her ear. She straightened up, turning and waving her hands.

"Find yourself useful employment, the child has arrived!" She hissed, the card guard leading the Queen to a quieter area of the mountain. There, two card guards stood on either side of Eliza, who was hugging her satchel to her chest. The Queen smiled, stopping a few feet from her. "Ah... young Eliza, what a pleasure it is to see you again. You need not fear me, child, I shall do no harm to you. Come, come, you are a welcomed guest here."

Eliza gulped, glancing at the card guards warily as she cautiously followed the Queen. She peeked around a corner, seeing a heart shaped chair and a small table, parchment, pen and red ink placed upon it. "Is this where I'll do my writing?" She asked.

"Yes, dear girl... how clever you are. Sit, make yourself comfortable." The Queen said, walking behind the chair to the other side, a second chair present where she seated herself. Eliza held onto her satchel, glancing around uncomfortably.

"I just have to write three reasons each for Alice and Jack that I care for them... right?" Eliza asked quietly.

"That's right... nice and simple." The Queen nodded, leaning back in her chair a bit.

Eliza nodded, one of her hands reaching out to take the white quill in her hand. She dipped it into the red ink, beginning to write upon the parchment. The Queen watched her closely, Eliza biting her lip as her hand wrote quickly. When she finished, she placed the pen down, resuming to hug the satchel to her. "I used the other snow globe you gave me to come here... I need one to return home."

"Of course, dear... but wouldn't you like to stay here a while longer? It's not often I have company." The Queen grinned darkly.

"I- I'm sorry... I need to get home, the others will be missing me." Eliza said, having a hard time looking at the Queen.

"Very well... before you leave, I have a small gift for you." The Queen reached behind her, producing a red staff that she handed to Eliza. "This is the staff of clubs. You have earned it with your determination and bravery. May it guide you on your endeavors." The Queen leaned back in her chair once more, smirking a bit as she watched Eliza observing it.

"If this is valuable to you... why are you giving it to me?" Eliza asked. "I am Alice's sister... how can you trust me?"

"Such a smart girl you are..." The Queen answered. "The same could be asked of me, couldn't it? Here I am, Alice's greatest foe, sitting here across from you. Why, I could take your life in an instant... but if we are to trust each other, and build rapport... it could be beneficial for both of us, and to Alice and Jack frost... would it not?"

Eliza looked down for a moment, slowly nodding. "I suppose..." She said quietly.

"Very good. Now..." The Queen took out a snow globe, handing it to Eliza. "... you may go home and return tomorrow evening. I shall have everything waiting for you here."

Eliza gave her a nod, slowly getting up and glancing back warily as she whispered to the snow globe. She cast it down then, hurrying into the portal. The Queen watched her, Hans approaching after she left.

"She's still very fearful of you." He said to her, the Queen glancing at him.

"Don't worry... she will come around soon enough." She rose from her seat, strolling towards the main part of the mountain. "Now to take care of other business..." She said, curling her lip as she strode towards where Turbo was still slumbering.

* * *

 **A bit of a shorter chapter to compensate for the longer one you read last... nevertheless, I'm sure you're still eager to read what's next! Will our heroes resolve their disputes before their enemies take advantage of it? Stay tuned for more updates and thank you for reading!**


	17. Testing Established Bonds

**Hello again readers! Following up rather quickly with another chapter! Prepare for more drama and shocker moments as we proceed onward! So without further ado, please relax and enjoy as always!**

* * *

Eliza heaved a sigh when she returned to Arendelle, arriving just outside the palace, not far from the stables. She was about to head inside when she heard shouting in the distance, gasping lightly. She bit her lip, the sound of the guards' voices approaching as she searched for a place to hide. She crouched down, propping the small staff against the stone wall and hugged her satchel to her chest.

"Oh dear... they must be searching for me... I'm going to be in very big trouble..." She whimpered.

"Actually, I think they're looking for me."

Eliza jumped, getting to her feet as she searched for the source of the voice in the low light. "Who's there?!"

"Calm down, I'm not here to hurt anybody! Not surprised those guys are after me, of course Hiccup would go somewhere I'M not wanted." The voice said.

"Hiccup? How do you know him?" Eliza asked.

"I'm a part of his tribe." The individual stepped into the low light, Eliza blinking when she saw it was a young boy, a bit older than she, wearing a Viking helmet. "Astrid said Hiccup and his new girlfriend came to some weird place called 'Arendelle...' I was getting bored and hoped there would be dragons here, or at least some caves... nope! Just a boring castle with some uptight guards... their clothes are weird too."

"Oh..." Eliza blinked. "What is your name?"

"I am the great Gustav Larson, expert dragon rider." He put his hands on his hips.

"My name is Eliza... I am a guest here." She said.

"You have an awful funny way of talking... your accent I mean." Gustav said.

"Well, that's not very nice to say." Eliza crossed her arms.

"Didn't mean anything bad by it... it's just different." Gustav said.

"Oh... well, alright then. Hm... you're probably going to get caught if you stay out here. If you promise to not tell anyone I was out here after dusk, I'll help you inside so the royal militia doesn't place you in the dungeons." Eliza said.

"Sounds good to me... lead the way, I'm starving anyway." Gustav said.

The boy followed Eliza into the castle, the two sneaking into the kitchen area to grab some food. They were heading up the stairs when suddenly, Eliza jumped when her name was called.

"Oh, hey Eliza!" Olaf cried, waddling up to her. "Everyone has to stay inside because there's some kind of intruder here! They found another dragon!"

Gustav gasped then. "What is that thing?!" He pointed at Olaf. "You better leave my dragon alone!"

"Don't be afraid, he's my best friend Olaf." Eliza smiled. "Come, let's get you upstairs before someone finds you-"

"GUSTAV!" Hiccup shouted, storming into the room when he caught sight of the three. He grabbed the boy by his arm, hoisting him up a bit. "Do you have any idea the kind of pandemonium you're causing?! This kingdom is on high alert here! How did you even get here in the first place?"

"Hey Hiccup! I saw how you used one of those crystal ball things, so I snuck into your hut while Ruffnut and Tuffnut were fighting over who had more armpit hair. I just told it to go wherever you were, and I came to this weird place..." Gustav said.

"Oh, great Odin's ghost..." Hiccup groaned, rubbing his forehead. Merida, Anna and Kristoff all hurried into the room then.

"Did you catch the intruder?" Anna asked. "Are they from the Queen's forces?"

"Yes, and no..." Hiccup answered. "Everyone, this is Gustav, a very irresponsible and reckless Viking from my tribe!" Gustav hissed when Hiccup tapped the back of his head with his hand.

"Getting into trouble again, are ye? You're going to get a good beating, laddie!" Merida said, grabbing him by the ear. Though the two were the same age, she was certainly far more mature.

"Eliza, you need to get back to bed." Anna said, going over to the girl. When she noticed she was holding the odd looking staff, Eliza gasped when she inspected it. "What is this? Where did you get it?"

The young girl gulped, scrambling to come up with an excuse. She glanced at Merida smacking Gustav upside the head, the young man glancing over as he rubbed the side of his face. He heard Anna questioning Eliza, biting his lip. Well… she had tried to help him, he thought to himself… he supposed he owed her the favor.

"I gave her that. I found it when exploring caves with my dragon and brought it with me… I thought she would like it more than me, it's not as good as treasure." Gustav said.

Eliza blinked, smiling lightly. "Y- Yes... he gave this to me. I had gotten him something to eat from the kitchen and he gave it to me to say thank you. I really like it, may I have it back, please?" Eliza asked, a hint of worry in her expression; she hoped Anna would believe the story.

"Well, alright..." Anna said, handing her back the staff. "Odd thing to carry around, let alone give to someone..."

"And you're going to sleep in the cold, dank dungeon tonight until ye learn to honor and respect your chief!" Merida shouted at Gustav.

Hiccup sighed, rubbing the sides of his head. "Merida, just... make sure that Fanghook is secured, Toothless was helping calm everything down outside. I'll take care of Gustav."

Merida nodded firmly, shooting Gustav a glare before she joined Kristoff in going back outside. Anna was escorting Eliza upstairs, smiling lightly at Gustav as she helped Olaf up the last step. He gave her a small wave before he was yanked aside by Hiccup.

"Alright, you are going back home and you can help Gobber with his welding." Hiccup said, Gustav glancing back behind him.

"Come on, Hiccup! Can't I stay for a day at least, please?" He asked.

"Absolutely not! Gustav, there is serious business going on here! There is a deranged monster out there and I don't need anyone else here making things more difficult, you're good enough at that as it is at home!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"I'll do anything! Those other guys at home are so boring, I want to DO something!" Gustav said, making Hiccup more and more frustrated.

"Fine. I will let you stay here on one condition. You listen to everything and anything I say, am I clear? If you sneak off or get into trouble even once, I'm giving you the boot." Hiccup said.

"Awesome!" Gustav smiled. "Where do I get to sleep?"

Hiccup smirked. "You, my friend, get to sleep in the stables."

"What?! You're joking!" Gustav exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

"Hey, I could just let Merida throw you in the dungeon if you prefer that." Hiccup smirked.

"Oh, alright..." Gustav groaned, Hiccup walking him out to the stables and locking him in.

"Maximus, keep a good eye on this one, he's a trouble maker." Hiccup said before heading back to the castle.

The white horse saluted Hiccup with his hoof before looking down at Gustav, narrowing his eyes at him before pointing his hoof at him, followed by his own eyes. The young boy sighed, rolling his eyes as he plopped down on a bale of hay. "Man, this stinks..."

Merida and Anna turned when Hiccup came back inside, heaving a sigh. "Well, that was annoying..." He said.

"I swear, that lad is going to get one of m' arrows up his kiester if he doesn't clean the potatoes out of his ears!" Merida sat down in a chair.

"Let's just thank Odin that it wasn't an actual threat. What was Eliza doing up this late, anyway?" Hiccup asked. "She was with him when I spotted him."

"I don't know... maybe she heard the commotion?" Merida suggested.

"She couldn't have from the bedrooms..." Anna said. "Which means she was already out here."

"Oh, I forgot what it was like to be a disobedient kid... am I already old at only twenty?" Hiccup asked.

"Let's just get some rest... we'll ask Eliza more in the morning." Anna said, all heeding her advice as they went to their respective chambers.

* * *

Bunny groaned, blinking his eyes open as light peeked in through the opening of the shelter. He wiggled his nose a bit, exhaling deeply as he moved to sit up a bit. He looked around before glancing down at his arm, tilting his head when he noticed that much of his skin had healed, some of the hair growing back. It was still a bit sensitive, but not nearly as painful as the day before. He heard shuffling, glancing over to see Alice keeping herself occupied.

"Alice...?" Bunny said quietly, the young woman turning upon hearing the sound and kneeling down by him.

"Are you alright?" She asked, feeling his forehead and holding his hand for a moment. "You appear much better..."

"Gonna take a lot more to get rid of me." Bunny smirked lightly. "Especially with you taking care of me." Alice smiled lightly, taking a small canteen to hand to Bunny, thanking her lightly as he drank. He then noticed her side was bandaged. "What happened to you?"

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. I just need to rebuild my blood." She smiled lightly. "It would take a lot to be rid of me also."

"I do not want to go through that again, Alice. It hurt too much." Bunny sighed. "Man... I'm in worse shape than I thought."

"It isn't that, Bunny." Alice replied, taking the canteen back when he finished it, placing it in a small trunk. "We're just reckoning with forces we haven't dealt with before. You weren't able to handle something of that nature."

"Yeah..." Bunny closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head as he watched Alice once he reopened them. "Seems there's a lot of things I haven't been able to handle, lately."

"How do you mean?" Alice asked as she tidied up a few things. When he didn't respond right away, she glanced back. She read his expression as he stared into her eyes, Alice exhaling slowly. "Your mind must still be off from yesterday."

"Alice... I haven't stopped-... the feelings haven't stopped... no matter what I do. It's always on my mind, what could have been... what could still be." Bunny said lowly.

Alice sighed, going back over to kneel by Bunny, taking his hands into hers. "You know that it can't be, Bunny. My heart longs for Jack in this regard."

"Oh, trust me… if it was any other bloke, I wouldn't stand for it. I feel too much for you to just let you go with anybody." Bunny bit his lip. "I'm not holding it against either you… Jack is my best mate, but… I just can't shake this, Alice." He shook his head.

"It's because you have never felt like this before with anyone else." Alice replied. "This feeling has overwhelmed you because it has been your first experience… and you want so badly for those feelings to be reciprocated. But Bunny… I am not the one to properly do so. If I were to do that… we would both end up very hurt… and Jack most of all." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "There is someone out there worthy of the love you have to offer, Bunny… and able to return it."

Bunny rubbed his forehead, exhaling shakily. He looked down at his arm, staring at it for a moment. "I would burn right now in that mountain... endure that pain... to erase the pain I'm feeling inside. I would wait an eternity… if it meant I could have you." He glanced up at Alice, who frowned deeply. "At least… at least I know I tried the best I could."

"You will do no such thing, Bunnymund." Alice said, her expression becoming serious. "You will not harm yourself or even imagine such an outcome for my sake. I don't like this sort of talk. I care for you too much."

Bunny furrowed his brows, bowing his head a bit. "Alice, I… I want to be able to let you be happy with Jack… I just don't know how."

"You're the guardian of hope." Alice smiled lightly. "Hope for a brighter future."

There was a silence between them for a few moments, before Bunny looked up at her again. "It won't be easy." He started. "But… if you could… if you could do one thing for me… it would be enough for me to go on… to accept that things are what they are."

Alice tilted her head curiously. "What did you have in mind?"

Bunny took a deep breath, his turn to give her hands a gentle squeeze as his eyes bore into hers, silently pleading. "… kiss me."

Alice's eyes widened a bit, blinking in surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

Bunny leaned forward a bit, biting his lip for a moment. "Please, Alice…" He spoke barely above a whisper, and Alice could hear the aching in his voice. "Let me at least… know what it feels like…"

Alice furrowed her brows deeply, unable to escape his gaze. "Bunny, I... I can't-"

"I'll take any heat that comes from this. I know I wouldn't have to ask if guilt wasn't an issue." Bunny said, his voice a bit husky now as he continued to lean forward.

Alice's eyes crossed a bit as her eyelids fell at half mast, her breathing quickening as she lowered all defenses. She allowed Bunny to close the space between them, but tried to maintain some control. It was very rare that Alice allowed herself to be vulnerable to anyone, but she made one exception for someone she held close to her heart. She let Bunny gently pull her up next to him, and was actually surprised that his lips were not rough and stubbly... they were soft and silky, Alice having to admit to herself that for someone with hair covering most of their body, this felt quite nice. Despite her efforts, she soon became lost in the kiss as her arms slowly moved to hold him, her fingers lacing delicately through his fur. Bunny's arms coiled around her, one arm wrapped around her lower back to hold her steady and the other threading through her hair. Bunny growled lowly, the sound muffled as he effortlessly lifted Alice about an inch off where she was seated to rest her down on the other side, his hands now massaging her sides in circular motions as one of Alice's hands moved to his chest, her hand gently clenching and releasing the heavier fur there. Things had become far more heated than either of them had expected, the romantic tension between them progressing quickly. As long as she didn't stop him, Bunny did not hesitate to deepen the kiss, taking everything that was being so graciously given to him. The only thing that broke the kiss was when they finally stopped for air, their breathing heavy as they found it difficult to tear away from the other's stare.

It was then that reality began to seep in for Alice, and she finally willed herself to look away as she realized in that moment, how far she had allowed this to go in a manner of short minutes.

Jack snickered when he heard Pitch growl with frustration in the distance, continuing to help Vanellope assemble some form of a kart that they had started the night before. It was nearly afternoon, heading back to the shelter to see if there was any change in Bunny's condition. He quietly entered the shelter, about to approach when he saw in the low light, Alice was sitting quite close to him, having sat up after their heated moment. Jack took a step back, furrowing his brows in shock and trying to avoid being seen.

"Bunny..." Alice whispered as he leaned back down, planting kisses on her face. "... I can't do this... I can't do this to him." She closed her eyes, the soft sighs escaping her lips betraying her conscience. "... Bunny, please..."

Jack staggered a bit away from the shelter, running one hand through his hair before crouching down. He let his head hang, swearing under his breath as he exhaled sharply, tossing his staff aside carelessly as he rested his hands on the back of his neck. He shut his eyes tightly for several moments, slowly rising to his feet as he placed his hands into his hoodie's pocket, kicking at the dirt lightly. He glanced up, biting his lip as his mind became restless.

Meanwhile, Ralph frowned lightly as he approached where Elsa was still cooped up, sighing lightly when he saw she still had the small shelter she and Pitch had previously been sharing still encased in ice. He approached cautiously, bending down a bit to try to peer through the thick layer of ice.

"Elsa?" Ralph called out, biting his lip a bit when he received no reply. "Elsa, it's me, uh, Ralph..." He said, tapping lightly on the ice with a finger. His eyes widened when it began to crack then, reeling back as the ice crumbled and created a pile of chunks on the ground. He held his hands to his chest, gulping a bit when Elsa emerged out of surprise. "Oh man, I am so sorry! Ugh, I should know by now that I break anything I touch! I only tapped it, I swear..." Ralph groaned. "I am such an idiot..." Elsa raised her brows as Ralph continued with his string of apologies. She had felt miserable after the whole ordeal with Pitch, but for some reason, Ralph's charade brought a smile to her face as she began to giggle lightly. Ralph stopped, blinking at her in reaction. "Wait a second... you're not angry?"

"Of course not..." Elsa touched her mouth lightly with her fingertips as she giggled. "It was just an accident... I can always make more ice."

Ralph's expression slowly melted into a smile, chuckling nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, that's... that's great, I mean... of course you can make more ice, it's just that um... you know... people usually get angry... and yell and... tell me to get lost when I'm around because I... wreck everything." Ralph sighed, clearing his throat.

Elsa frowned lightly at this, approaching Ralph. "Neither of us can help who we are, Ralph. People were afraid of me when they first learned about my powers... but then I was able to use them to help my people. It's not necessarily what our gifts are that can be negative... it's how we use them."

"Yeah... I remember when you told me that. I still don't know how anyone could be afraid of you or hate you, you're really be-..." Ralph caught himself at the last second, his spine stiffening. "U- Um-..." He coughed lightly into his hand as he scrambled for something to say. "... y- you're really... beyond awesome! Y- Yeah, if there was a word better than awesome you would... you would be that, yeah." Ralph's face was as red as a cherry now, shifting on his feet uncomfortably.

Elsa smiled nervously as well, hugging her arms a bit. "Thank you." She thought Ralph was awkwardly charming, appreciating the kindness of his intent. She realized that, at least in this regard- that he was quite harmless, but also very inexperienced with the real world. Deep down, a growing concern of where his heart would be led came to a surfacing realization; if his heart were to be broken, she did not want to be the one responsible. "So... where is Vanellope this morning?" She asked, deciding it was best to change the subject.

"Oh, um... last I saw, she was drawing pictures on Pitch's face with black colored frosting... he was sleeping on a tree. I saw him chasing her around later on, but that kid is faster than I think even she realizes. They must have made up though, because he's helping her build a kart." Ralph chuckled lightly. "She's one heck of a kid... she told me she was keeping Pitch 'out of trouble.'"

Elsa sighed, smiling sadly. She was actually surprised that Pitch was doing anything for Vanellope, especially after the way the two had quarreled in the recent past. "I'm glad he's being nice to her... somewhat." She said.

Before either of them could say anything, they heard the sound of an engine roaring, Elsa jumping and holding her heart as she was unfamiliar with the sound. Vanellope drove up to them, beaming as a vehicle made from various scrap metal, some brush and branches from the forest accenting it, and four different tires of relatively similar size but each a different style, was presented to them. Vanellope glitched out of the gigantic vehicle with what was possibly the largest smile in her entire existence.

"Ralph look, look, look! It's got a sunroof up there and a back hatch, and it's so big inside! My old kart could fit in there! O- Oh and also, it's got a secret compartment on the floor and a HUGE engine in the front! It runs on nightmare fuel and it goes up to one hundred nightmare power!" Vanellope exclaimed.

Elsa smiled, not understanding anything the child was talking about, but it warmed her heart to see her happy. She glanced over at Pitch, leaning up against a tree and wiping a brow, heaving a sigh from exhaustion. He looked up at her when she approached, her expression becoming a bit uneasy. She had certainly not forgotten about the conflict from the prior evening, sighing lightly as Pitch straightened up a bit.

"My Nightmares most likely traveled through all time and space to find the parts to assemble this vehicular monstrosity... I labored the entire night, I didn't get an ounce of rest..." He exhaled deeply, looking at Elsa as she frowned lightly. "I suppose I deserve it... my actions on the battlefield were not entirely honorable." He stood to his full height then, taking a step closer to envelop her hands in his. "You're right, Elsa... you can never replace Lady. Do you know why that is?"

Elsa exhaled sharply. "Because I'm not divine like she is."

"Incorrect." Pitch replied. "You are most certainly divine to me, Elsa... but the love that Lady and I shared was unique, it was special for us. And the love I share with you is also unique... and special between you and I. If I were to lose you, moon forbid it... not one in the universe could replace you. Even if I were to find another to give my heart to... a part of me would always grieve for you, just as a part of me shall always grieve for Lady."

Elsa nodded slowly, taking in his words. "I can understand that." She looked up at him. "Can you explain one thing to me, then?"

"Of course." Pitch replied, giving Elsa's hands a gentle squeeze.

"... what is your fixation with the Queen?" Elsa asked.

Pitch did not expect this to be her inquiry, closing his eyes for a moment as he exhaled slowly. He bowed his head for a moment, gathering his thoughts before answering.

"She isn't an open book... someone that can be easily manipulated, as it was what I had done to others in the past. No, she is the one who attempted to manipulate me... and she was so close to doing so, she is still able to sway me with very little effort. It both fascinates and frightens me, Elsa... how my heart is so easily drawn back into the darkness. A part of me wants to resist it for all it's worth, while a small fragment wants to experience it, venture into the unpredictable and dangerous nature she embodies." He furrowed his brows deeply when Elsa became visibly upset, lifting her chin gently. "But it is not what I truly want. It is always you who brings me back, your light... like the radiant sun drawing me out of the depths of the ocean, allowing me to breathe once more. Above all things Elsa, I shall now and forevermore choose you."

Elsa stared at him for a few moments, blinking the collecting moisture out of their eyes. "There shouldn't even be a choice to begin with." She said barely above a whisper.

Pitch extended his hand to tuck a strand of Elsa's hair behind her ear. "For many centuries I have known nothing but how to do the wrong thing; to spread darkness, cause harm to others, to care for no one in this universe... I did nothing but fulfill my own selfish desires. I am trying to be a whole person again... to be but a fraction of the man I once was. I will not forgive myself for the pain I cause you in this time... but I ask that you... you guide me. Help me to do the right thing, do not allow me to fall again. As long as you allow me, I will be your humble servant."

Elsa surprised Pitch when she took a step forward, embracing him lightly. "I'm not going to ask you to be a humble servant... I just want you to be faithful to me..."

Pitch closed his eyes gently, returning her embrace as he pet her hair. As Ralph was listening to Vanellope's rambling and watching her jump around excitedly, he saw Elsa and Pitch out of the corner of his eyes. His gaze gravitated to them, frowning slightly as he felt his heart sink. His concentration was broken when he was pelted with something, groaning as he rubbed his head. He turned to see Vanellope grimacing at him, hands on her hips as she tapped her foot.

"Excuse me, Earth to stinkbrain! You're not paying attention!" Vanellope exclaimed.

"Oh, uh… sorry, I got distracted." Ralph replied apologetically.

"Yeah, I can see that…" Vanellope rolled her eyes, walking back up to him. "You know, if you really like her, just tell her."

Ralph nearly choked, glancing from the other two to Vanellope. "Are you crazy?! She would probably reject me faster than a cabinet would a dented quarter and Pitch would stop at nothing to give me a 'game over!'"

Vanellope gave him a flat look. "Look pal, if you're not going to nab the cookies out of the jar, then don't cry and mope about it. Go for it or don't, it's up to you."

Ralph glanced over at the couple as they spoke quietly to each other, sighing longingly.

Alice finally emerged from the shelter, exhaling sharply as she shook her head for a moment. After quickly scanning the area, she noticed Jack sitting not far away with his back facing her, making ice patterns on the ground. She took in a deep breath, trying to act natural as she approached him. When he heard nearing footsteps behind him, he glanced over his shoulder to see Alice, forcing a smile.

"Hey… feeling okay?" He asked.

"Quite well, thank you…" Alice replied.

Jack looked past her for a moment, nodding his head towards the shelter. "Anything going on with Bunny?"

Alice cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Y- Yes… he's actually awake… I came out here to fetch you."

Jack nodded, raising a sarcastic brow. "Okay. He and I could use some quality buddy time; though, I can't say he'll enjoy the time he spends with me as much as he did with you just now." When Alice tensed up, avoiding his gaze, his expression became serious, taking in a deep breath when Alice closed her eyes. "I know you love him, Alice."

"… I love you more." Alice replied quietly, opening her eyes to look at him sorrowfully. "I'm sorry. I meant no harm to you… I made it very clear who I desire to be partnered with."

Jack nodded slowly, taking one of her hands to lightly kiss the top of it. His eyes flickered up to her when he heard the familiar sound of a shudder escape her lips. He had no idea why, perhaps it was a newly discovered fetish of hers that she became aroused by his cold touch, but he wasn't going to question it.

"Well… you may want to stay clear of us for a while…" Jack smiled sarcastically, having a few things to say to Bunny. "… and not because we're going to be all 'lovey dovey.'"

Alice furrowed her brows a bit, pinching the bridge of her nose as Jack walked away. "He may very well need Emily to resurrect him when Jack is through with him…" She said to herself.

* * *

 **Oh boy, will Jack give Bunny's tail end a good beating? Will Elsa and Pitch stay on civil terms, or does Ralph still have a chance to win her affections? For those of you unfamiliar with who Gustav is, he is a minor character who appears in a couple of the HTTYD mini series', the most recent one being Dragons; Race to the Edge. He'll be playing an important role from here on in, so you'll be seeing more of him as the chapters roll on! So thank you again for reading, and please stay tuned for future chapters!**


	18. Blossoming Unions Intertwining

**Good evening, readers! Last time we left off on a small cliffhanger; Bunny's life may very well be on the line once again as Jack proceeds to confront him. Will this be the end of their friendship, or will they resolve things? Read on and please enjoy as always!**

* * *

Bunny scratched behind his ears, stretching out the muscles in his shoulders as Jack entered the shelter. He glanced over as Jack briskly strode over to him, trying to remain calm as he sat next to him without hesitation.

"Hey, mate." Bunny gave him a nod.

"Well, seems like you're feeling better." Jack said.

"Yeah... you could say that." Bunny replied, reaching over to place some items on his belt.

Jack nodded slowly. "So... what did you and Alice talk about? She was in here for a while."

"Not much... she was just helping me." Bunny answered.

Jack pursed his lips, holding his staff upright. "Yeah... I can see how you wouldn't be talking much."

Bunny raised a brow as he strapped on his belt, securing his boomerangs and egg bombs on it. "How do you mean?"

Jack forced a chuckle then. "Well, you can't get too many words in when you're kissing someone." He glanced over at Bunny, glaring at him as his expression became serious.

The Easter guardian stopped then, exhaling sharply as he shut his eyes tight. He braced himself for a few moments, shooting out of his seat to make a dash for the exit. He wasn't quick enough however, Jack waving his staff to freeze Bunny's feet to the ground. He groaned loudly, letting his head fall back for a moment as he smoothed down his ears.

"Fantastic, Alice, you just HAD to kiss and tell, didn't you?!" He shouted to no one in particular.

"Alice didn't say anything, so leave her out of this." Jack said, walking to stand in front of him. "I saw you kiss her, Bunny. I don't understand you!" He exclaimed, holding his hands out. "Alice and I have been together for months and you're still pulling this stunt!"

"Takes two to tango, mate. She could have said no. She didn't." Bunny replied.

Jack shook his head, turning around and letting his hang head for a moment before facing Bunny again. "You're supposed to be my best friend, Bunny... I mean, you're a guardian, you're supposed to do the right thing!"

"Don't give that to me, mate. This has nothing to do with me being a guardian, this has nothing to do with anything except what I'm feeling." Bunny said.

"Well what you're feeling is WRONG!" Jack shouted.

Bunny's face dropped, exhaling sharply as he shook his head. After a few moments of tense silence, he finally spoke. "You know why I kissed her, Jack? Because for as long as I can remember, I've only had one thing in life. Bringing joy to children. And for a while, making them happy, made me happy. But then, I began to feel something else. Something that no matter how happy those little ankle biters were, I couldn't shake it. One day, I realized, that I was missing something. Then all this happened. Alice came into our lives. I began to understand what loving someone else was... having a family, when your sister came back to you. You have it all, Jack. What do I have? A schedule? Is that all I was meant to experience in my life?" His voice began to shake, his hand clutching his chest. "I'm sorry if you think what I feel is wrong, but maybe, I just want what you have! E- Even Sandy and Tooth have found their happiness together, s- so all around me, everyone is with their 'someone.'"

Jack sighed, furrowing his brows deeply. "You know... for someone who hates Pitch with a passion, you're starting to act just like him."

"Oh rack off!" Bunny snapped. "And now that you mention it, even that sorry bloke has somebody, and a nice lofty castle to live in! He's the last person who deserves to enjoy life!"

"He didn't steal Elsa away from someone, Bunny!" Jack replied.

"Oh, so lying to her about her 'supposedly' dead sister and keeping her in some dank cave against her will doesn't count, huh?" Bunny said.

"That's not what I mean, Bunny!" Jack growled lowly, clenching his teeth. "Look... I want you to be happy... you're my best friend. But being happy by taking someone else's happiness away is wrong. Alice and I love each other. If you were to take her all for yourself... you're no better than when Pitch tried to take joy away from children. You would be as greedy as he was."

Bunny frowned deeply at this, hugging himself a bit as he let his head hang. "You're right, mate." He sighed deeply. "I just... I get this... tight feeling in my gut when she's around... when I look at her, my heart aches. It's driving me up a wall, Jack... and it's getting worse. I don't know how to stop it... I don't know how to make things right."

"And you make fun of North when he talks about his gut." Jack smirked lightly, Bunny punching his arm lightly. "Okay, okay, back to serious..." He sighed. "So... maybe you should try talking to someone, you know... see if you can give them the ol' Bunny charm and swoon them."

Bunny rolled his eyes. "And who around here do you think I can 'swoon?' I may as well go back to Arendelle and try to ask Hiccup's bloody dragon on a date! There's no one, absolutely no one, that I could even consider."

Jack turned when he heard someone approaching from behind, Emily stopping when she saw Bunny's feet frozen to the ground. "Jack, I believe you should leave his medical care to me. You clearly do not know the basics of the art of healing."

Bunny snickered at this, the ice guardian rolling his eyes as he waved his staff. The ice around Bunny's feet disappeared, allowing him to flex his toes. "Emily, trust me, he's lucky I didn't kill him." Jack said, moving past her to head outside. Emily raised a brow, floating over to Bunny and instructing him to sit.

"Let me see your arm." She said.

"Oh..." Bunny smiled lightly. "Thanks Em, but Alice already took care of it. Looks and feels like a million bucks. And not the animal kind." He chuckled.

Emily tilted her head. "Alice is not responsible for your improving condition. Perhaps you were not fully aware in your state last night." She said, taking out a small root woven bowl with some salve inside, wordlessly taking his arm into her hand to apply more of the mixture to his skin.

Bunny blinked, looking from his arm to her. "Wait... you... you did this?"

"That is correct." Emily answered, not looking up from his arm. Bunny sat back a bit, deep in thought as he processed this.

"Huh... and here I thought you wanted to be neutral and all." Bunny said.

Emily stopped for a moment, her eyes briefly meeting his before diverting her gaze. "There is a difference between being neutral and being heartless, Bunnymund." She said. "There have been times in my life where I have been heartless, yes..." Her delicate fingers gently massaged the salve into Bunny's forearm. "... however, as of late... I do believe that the presence of all of you here has forced me to forsake both qualities." She glanced up at him then. "I do have a heart... it is just very broken. I must preserve what is left before my heart is lost forever."

Bunny frowned a bit as Emily looked back down. "Look, Em... for a long time, I thought you were just... someone with just a storm cloud over their head all the time, just a bad egg. But I didn't know you. I knew the general facts, that's it. I never had a reason to understand you... but now I think I'm beginning to, a little..."

"Must you need a reason?" Emily asked. "Does the sun need a reason to provide the Earth warmth? Do the clouds need a reason to quench the thirst of the vegetation below? Does the soft soil need a reason to provide solace for new life to grow? None have reason, they simply do so because it is in their nature to give. I would think it would be in your nature as a guardian to do the same."

Bunny glanced to the side. "A few people have told me I haven't been very guardian-like lately... I suppose they're right."

"You have seen the error in your ways, then. Now you can do what is necessary to change it." Emily placed the empty bowl aside. "I must tend to the forest, now that I have tended to you." She said, rising to float out of the shelter.

After a few moments, Bunny's ears perked up, jumping to his feet. "Emily?" He cleared his throat when she turned, raising a brow at him. "U- Um... mind if I... watch?"

Emily tilted her head. "You wish to watch me prune my trees and maintain my flora?"

Bunny shrugged. "Hey, can't be any more boring than painting eggs day in and day out, am I right?" He chuckled nervously.

Emily narrowed her eyes warily. "Very well, if you insist. Please just refrain from distracting me."

Bunny cleared his throat, pushing his ears back with one of his hands. "Well, I can try but... I can't help that I've got a handsome mug, can I?" When Emily gave him a flat look, Bunny rolled his eyes, his ears returning to their upright position. "Can't give a guy a little, can you?" He muttered as he followed Emily into a deeper part of the forest.

* * *

Gustav groaned, heaving a sigh as he wiped his brow. He winced when he was nudged from behind, Maximus giving him a disapproving snort and motioning to move forward with his head.

"Hey, come on! I've been working all morning! Can't I take a second to breathe?!" The boy exclaimed.

Maximus neighed in response, stomping his front hoof down. The boy rolled his eyes, continuing to push the broom forward to clean up around the stables. As he was doing this, Eliza stepped outside, Pascal sitting on her shoulder as Baby Tooth fluttered around her, the two small creatures squeaking and chirping to each other. As Eliza walked by a small garden, Pascal shot his tongue out, picking a flower and handing it to Baby Tooth. She giggled lightly, taking out a tooth to give to the small chameleon in exchange. He blinked at the molar for a moment, shrugging as he nodded to her in thanks.

Eliza stopped when she heard Maximus giving Gustav a hard time, the horse neighing a loud laugh when he knocked his Viking helmet off. She frowned, approaching them.

"Maximus, that isn't very nice!" Eliza placed her hands on her hips. The horse blinked at her before pinning his ears back, snorting sadly at her. "Now I know you have a job to do, but you can work together." Eliza picked up Gustav's helmet, handing it to him. "It seems like you've tidied up most of the area here... if you like, I can bring us out some small pound cakes I helped bake in the kitchen for us to eat. I'm sure you're quite hungry."

"Boy, am I!" Gustav smiled. "All this work builds up an appetite..."

Eliza smiled, glancing to the side as she rubbed her arm a bit. "I should also thank you... for last night. I could have gotten into trouble."

Gustav shrugged. "Well, you tried to help me out, so I was just returning the favor."

As they spoke, Maximus got Pascal's attention, motioning towards Gustav and shaking his head. Pascal looked between the two teenagers, narrowing his eyes and looking back at Maximus, nodding to the horse and pointing to his eyes.

"I overheard Hiccup talking about your dragon that you brought here... may I see him?" Eliza asked.

Gustav perked up then. "Fanghook? Yeah! Toothless was helping him get used to the area... not too many grassy fields around here." Eliza followed Gustav to where the dragons were, the boy smiling and running up to the Monstrous Nightmare to hug him. "I missed you!" He exclaimed, the dragon growling happily in response. He turned then, waving Eliza over. Toothless lifted his head, having been resting a bit and wagging his tail lightly when he saw Eliza approach.

"Good morning, Toothless." Eliza smiled, gently petting his nose before approaching Fanghook. "Hello Fanghook." Eliza smiled, curtseying lightly to him. Gustav snickered, Eliza furrowing a brow at him. "What's so funny?"

"What was that you just did?" He asked.

"I just curtseyed... it's proper to do when introducing yourself or attending a special event." Eliza answered.

"Sorry, it just looks kinda funny..." He snickered again, Eliza pouting as she crossed her arms, sticking her nose in the air. She started to walk away, Toothless giving the boy a flat look as she did so. "H- Hey, where are you going? Oh come on, I was just kidding around!" He ran after her, turning around and jogging backwards a bit in front of her when he caught up. "Alright, I'm sorry, can't we just- okay, I won't make fun anymore, promise?"

Eliza stopped, uncrossing her arms. "... Alright... but you had better keep your promise..."

"That's a relief... I think I need at least ONE friend around here... hey, let's get some of those little cake things you were talking about, at this rate I could eat a whole Gronkel!" Gustav said.

As they headed inside, both Baby Tooth and Pascal glared at Gustav, the two crossing their arms. He cleared his throat, moving to the other side of Eliza so he was farther away from them. Eliza went first, peeking into the kitchen area to see if anyone was inside. Once the coast was clear, she waved Gustav on, the two helping each other take a tray of the small pound cakes. When they turned to leave, however, they were stopped when Merida was suddenly behind them, Eliza and Gustav freezing in their tracks. Merida's arms were crossed, tapping her foot lightly on the ground.

"Did ye clean up those stables like Hiccup asked ye to, laddie?" Merida asked Gustav.

"Y- Yes m'am..." He answered, chuckling nervously.

Merida narrowed her eyes a bit, pursing her lip. "So if I go out there and see one strand of hay out of place, you are giving me authority to flank ye?"

Gustav groaned. "Come on Merida, I worked out there all morning-"

"As princess of clan Dun'Broch and future chieftess of Berk, you will answer m' question!" Merida shouted.

"Alright, fine, you can flank me!" Gustav exclaimed.

Merida stared at him warily for another moment before smirking. "Alright, y' can go then." As Eliza passed around her, Merida stopped Gustav for a moment to let her walk ahead a bit. "And I warn ye laddie. Y' get that little lass into any trouble, and ye WILL get flanked, ye ken?"

"Y- Yeah, sure... no trouble at all." Gustav said, hurrying up to catch up with Eliza when Merida let him go. He readjusted his helmet, shaking his head. "Jeez, you would think this girl was some rare gemstone the way everyone is so protective of her around here..." Gustav said to himself as he caught up with Eliza.

* * *

Turbo giggled lightly in his sleep, muttering a bit as he dreamt. "Yeah... rip that little glitch's... arms off..."

His masochistic dream would soon be abruptly interrupted when something whacked his helmet, jostling the cybrid awake. He hopped up, his cybugs scurrying as he looked around. He turned to see the Queen glaring at him, tapping her scepter into the palm of her other hand. "It is quite interesting, Turbo... everyone else is placing their full effort into their arduous tasks and you are here slumbering!" She hissed. "Gather yourself and follow me to the west end of the mountain, I shall teach you how to fight your enemies more proficiently!"

Turbo blinked in surprise before grimacing. "Listen lady, I still have a sore backside from the other night, I'm not in the mood to listen to your yakking in my ear all day."

The Queen whirled around then, grabbing his long neck and snarling in his face. "Your lack of acknowledgement of my authority is severely wearing on my patience, underling!" She roared, her voice beginning to split into multiple pitches, higher and lower. "You shall either oblige me or I shall ensure that you receive the greatest amount of suffering for your insolence!"

"Alright, ALRIGHT!" Turbo shoved her away, growling in frustration. "You are so ANNOYING! Jeez, my wings are still numb from that stupid- I'm coming!"

Once they reached the western end of the mountain, The Queen turned, observing Turbo for a moment. She approached him, walking around him as she read into his heart briefly. "You are someone who will do anything to get what they want... that is a trait you and I both share. You care not for who is harmed in such a process, as long as you fulfill your desires in the end. However... you must truly and wholly want something... in order to place your whole heart into achieving it. That is how I shall motivate you on this day. You shall endure my wrath in order to increase your own... sharpen the potency of the abilities you possess. We battle now, and I shall critique your shortcomings."

"Yeah, I think I'm just fine the way I am, thank you very much." Turbo replied.

"Attack me!" The Queen hissed.

"Okay, okay, fine, you psycho!" Turbo groaned, trying to swipe at her with his hand to which she dodged easily, hitting him when she spewed fire at him.

"You would rather be doing anything else other than this right now... you don't see the point in all of this 'nonsense...' I am irksome, irritating to you, you simply want to be left alone but reap the reward of destroying the child when the opportunity arises!" The Queen shouted, hitting and knocking Turbo over with another fire attack. "All of the potential you possess... wasted because you believe that you can soar right to your goal... and that anything you cannot, is not worth your time. You are not worthy of royalty or glory..."

"Hey, shut up already!" Turbo growled, swiping his hand to miss her again.

"You cannot cope with the truth... you instead choose to live a lie, hide behind it... but you are defenseless upon exposure!" The Queen shouted, one of her tentacles wrapping around his neck, tossing him right into the wall like a ragdoll.

Turbo groaned, grunting as he got up and glaring at her angrily. "Alright, I've had enough of you pushing me around!" He growled, his back spikes popping out as he curled into a ball, building up momentum as he rolled swiftly towards her.

"Yes! Now you are finally translating your frustrations into action!" The Queen exclaimed, climbing up on the wall and crawling over him, Turbo losing momentum when he could not roll up onto the ceiling. He uncurled himself, his wings flapping rapidly as he soared towards her, groping the air to try to grab her off the ceiling. She used her tentacles like whips, keeping his hands at bay. "You think that your enemies will simply allow you to overcome them; you think that the child will simply allow you to destroy her; you must use everything you have to destroy your opposition! Do not allow them to linger!"

The Queen was about to crawl down on the other side, spewing more flames back at him to knock him down to the ground. He shook his head, growling as he charged forward towards her, the Queen making a sharp dodge to the left to evade him.

She was met with shock when she felt something hit her hard, knocking her into the wall behind her.

Turbo had used his tail to send her flying back, his nails digging into the wall as he pinned her there. Face to face, his eyes burned into hers as her expression softened a bit, her eyes wide.

"I don't... like... losing." He snarled, yanking his hand out so she dropped to the ground.

The Queen stared after him for a few moments, her shock slowly melting into a triumphant smirk.

"Neither do I... another trait we share, Turbo. But if you cooperate... we can both relish in our victories together. Stop resisting me, stop resisting this process... the work shall all amount to great worth in the end." The Queen said.

Turbo groaned, turning back to look at her. "Look... whatever grudges you have against those other people, I really don't care. All I want is to give that glitch and that giant lackey of hers a game over. Once that happens, I'm out of here, sister."

"Yes... it is in your nature to be so quick to run. You finish one task, you move onto the next, never looking back. But you do not realize that your past may catch up to you and bring great affliction with it. You cannot always run away, Turbo. You cannot always hide. You are no longer alone... take advantage of that." The Queen said, approaching him slowly.

For the first time, the Queen's words were finally sinking in, and she grinned upon seeing him thinking upon them. He glanced up at her, rolling his eyes for a moment as he sighed.

"Okay, how about this. You make sure those two good for nothing codes bite the dust, and I will do whatever you ask me to. You want a milkshake? You got it. You want to take a nice drive? I'll be your chauffeur. Hell, I'll even kiss your feet as long as I get to squish that little glitch into road kill, toots." Turbo said.

The Queen raised her brows, smirking lightly as she nodded. "Very well." She turned, waving her hand to conjure a small card guard army. "You may begin by practicing upon my forces; I shall return at the end of the day to review your progress."

"Yeah, yeah, fine..." Turbo groaned, making his way towards the card guards. The Queen took her leave, grinning darkly as she did so.

* * *

Bunny hadn't realized it, but he had become quite engrossed in the beautiful array of colors sprinkled throughout the forest, Emily spurring new growth as she floated along gracefully. Her essence flowed and weaved through the trees, her eyes carefully scanning around her to ensure all was right. She tapped her chin lightly, using her other hand to conjure a large leaf to sprout from the ground, floating up a bit to sit upon it. Bunny approached her then, making her sway a bit and grimace at him lightly as he leaned against the stem.

"I must say, Em... I'm pretty impressed." He said. "Quite a system you've got going on here."

"Unlike you, I have the luxury of living how I please... my work is done on my own time... not on a predetermined schedule." Emily replied.

"Tell me about it..." Bunny sighed. "So..." He glanced up at her. "Now what?" When Emily looked at him quizzically, he chuckled. "You're all finished up, aren't you? What do you want to do now?"

"I typically meditate after up keeping my domain. I must rejuvenate myself first." Emily floated off the leaf, going over to her throne. She lowered the tips of her feet into the water just in front of it, her whole body turning an aqua shade of green as the flow of energy from the pool of water traveled through her. Bunny watched with interest, Emily remaining in this state for a minute or two before she returned to her normal hue, crossing her feet in midair as she levitated above the water. Her hair floated calmly, her eyes closed.

"Hey, uh... mind if I join?" Bunny asked.

Emily cracked an eye open, staring at him flatly as she exhaled slowly. She touched down to the ground, approaching him.

"Alright. Is there something you need of me? Is there something you wish for me to do for you?" Emily asked, a bit exasperated.

Bunny blinked in surprise. "Uh, no... no, there isn't."

"Then what is it that you want?" Emily asked.

Bunny tilted his head. "I don't really want anything, Em... I don't understand what you're-"

"Can you please explain this to me then; why are you persisting to follow me about?" Emily asked.

"I- I don't know, I just... wanted to spend some time with you, is all... small talk, something..." Bunny answered.

"What reason do you have to want to spend time with me?" Emily asked suspiciously.

Bunny saw the skepticism in her expression, his own softening as he remembered that this was a young woman who had dealt with much hurt and disappointment in her life. She trusted few, and he could say from experience that he himself wanted nothing to do with her in the past, believing she was incapable of socializing with anyone. However, having actually been around her during his stay in her forest and getting to know who Emily was beyond the general aspects of her life that he knew about her, he was beginning to understand that perhaps there was more to Emily than just her wild and sometimes dangerous nature; perhaps there was a softer, more nurturing side to her if only someone ventured deep enough to seek it out. He was beginning to see why Sandy still cared for her after all this time. He chuckled lightly, smiling warmly.

"Well... someone told me not too long ago that you didn't need to have a reason to be understanding and giving towards someone... it just comes naturally." Bunny said.

At this, Emily's expression changed into one of slight surprise upon her words being repeated back to her. It was then that something short of a miracle occurred;

Emily smiled at him. It was warm, and genuine, much like the same she had done for Sandy upon their arrival.

"Indeed... it does." Emily replied quietly. "You should heed my advice more often, Bunnymund; it's quite becoming of you."

"And you should smile more often." Bunny replied. "I think it's pretty." He blinked then, clearing his throat. "P- Pretty nice, you know. Usually you're so uptight..."

Emily raised a brow, observing him with a bit of intrigue. The manner in which this interaction had transpired was... new and unfamiliar, she thought to herself. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt that seeing Bunny in a new light had drawn her own personal attentions to him. Prior to this, she had never once taken interest in him; he was simply one of the guardians, nothing more. He had also been one of her father's greatest foes, another important reason to disassociate with him, with all- well, most of the guardians. But those hindrances had been lifted, the veil opening to reveal someone that she felt was worth her company. She was having less and less of a problem allowing him into her space, and she was curious of her own atypical action in this regard. She glanced down, waving her hand over the water below. Out from the shallow pool, a large lily pad emerged.

"You may sit here beside me to meditate. Do you know how?" Emily asked.

"Em, I'm a master of Tai Chi and the ancient art of Kung Fu... meditation is my middle name." Bunny smirked lightly, hopping over onto the lily pad to settle on it, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on his knees. He closed the space between his thumb and index fingers, sitting up straight and closing his eyes, breathing in deeply.

Emily raised her brows, nodding as she displayed that she was impressed by his knowledge. She floated over to him, levitating just over the water this time so she could be at his level. She maintained the same position as him, cracking an eye open briefly to observe him. She then closed it, holding her head up as the two sat side by side in tranquil, peaceful silence.

* * *

 **Well, I suppose you all see how this chapter related to the title, huh? What will these growing interactions mean for these characters? Will it really strengthen each side in future battle? Find out more in upcoming chapters! Thank you all so much for reading, please leave a review and stay tuned for more!**


	19. Contemplating Hidden Clues

**Hello readers! Last chapter was a bit of a lighthearted one; this chapter will have some darker undertones as you will see, and suspicions will be on the rise. Are you ready? Please enjoy as always, I hope you are all enjoying thus far!**

* * *

Maharaja shouted to his minions, having them rebuild their forces and forge new weapons after taking a fairly good beating in the recent battle. He growled lowly, setting up fire pits where they placed the scrap metal in, much from their damaged weaponry. His eyes scanned the area until a soft, glowing light from deeper within the mountain caught his attention. He cracked his shoulders as he stretched out his muscles, his armor clanging a bit as he trudged towards the light. He stopped, peeking in to see the Phoenix suspended in midair, tranquil as its feet were clawed into the ground. Maharaja raised an intrigued brow as it seemed to draw energy from the molten Earth's core into itself. Despite its preoccupation, Maharaja was not the most patient and understanding individual, tapping the tip of his sword on the ground to gain the great creature's attention.

"Bi zevsgiin myetall khailj tany dulaanyg kheregtei." Maharaja said upon the Phoenix cracking an eye open.

"What difference does it make if your weapons are forged now, or a day from now?" The Phoenix asked. "Rather than wasting your strength, you should be replenishing that which you have lost."

The Monkey King growled lowly. "Odoo zogsson kheveer baikh yamar ch tsag khugatsaa baina! Bidnii daisnuud biden deer yamar ödör baikh bolno!"

"Perhaps they shall, perhaps they will not. You mistake remaining idle with remaining unproductive. Relpenishing energy can be just as significant as preparing weapons and equipment." The Phoenix said. "I am my own weapon, I need not metal to assist me."

Maharaja scowled for a moment before smiling sarcastically. "Uulyn ikh khaany zasaglalaas mini ee, namaig uuchlaarai!" He proclaimed, bowing down for a moment before standing up straight. "Bi bish minii khögjöön daisnuudad, zövkhön minii zer zevseg, balmadaar khüch chadal ustgakh ni tany asar ikh döl baina." He motioned to his sword and his spear, before closing his fist and raising it to display his toughness.

The Phoenix tilted his head a bit. "Such is the way of a barbarian such as yourself; in a way, it is most admirable that you possess a ruthless and unyielding nature."

"Zerlegüüdiin? Bi zügeer l neg büdüüleg ilüü baina! Bi daichin, anchin baina!" Maharaja exclaimed.

"A hunter… and what, pray tell, do you hunt?" The Phoenix asked.

"Ene delkhii deer khovor, khamgiin üne tsenetei amitad. Bi Toothiana ni aav, eej alsan... eej , Rashmi, nislegiin egch, nadad minii khün törölkhtniig avch baisan yum. Bi süülchiin tölbör bolokh Toothiana amiig avch yuu ch deer khürch zogsdog." Maharaja answered.

"Ah… understandable to hold a grudge against the one who was responsible for afflicting you in this manner… the last of her kind, as well." The Phoenix commented.

"Yamar ch... tüünii törliin zövkhön neg. Toothiana ni erliiz yum. Tüünii etseg, Haroom neg udaa minii itgeltei zarts baisan yum... gevch ter gichii ekhner erliiz bolon tüünd ünench tangaraglasan, nisdeg zaan doosh an minii aldryg avch neg!" Maharaja shouted.

"So for taking your glory and your humanity, you wish for the daughter to pay their price?" The Phoenix asked.

Maharaja grinned, nodding. "Bi nasny dars shig Toothiana ni asgarsan tsusyg uukh bolno..." He made a swiping motion on his neck before making a drinking gesture with his hand, laughing heartily. "Yuu ta mini galt naiz? Kherev ta ene erel khaiguuld yamar ezelsen gazar nutag khaij baina uu?"

"I seek only to destroy the forest nymph and clear this land of her growth so that I may overtake it. Once I inhabit her domain, none shall seek to challenge me again." The Phoenix answered.

Maharaja nodded slowly, chuckling lowly. "Yaagaad uuland end baina? Tany gal mod güitsej , ünsen tedniig ergej chadakhgüi baina uu?"

"The creature in the forest does not control simply that alone. Her abilities extend to the skies, the air, sometimes even gravity itself. Only those she allows to pass may seek passage through her domain, all others are destroyed or deterred. I have not the strength to overcome her defenses, and she has not the strength to produce growth in or upon my mountain." The Phoenix said. "It is a stalemate which has lasted for many centuries between us."

Maharaja thought for a moment. "Yamar nökhtsöl baidald ter negen bolomjiig olgoj baina ve?"

The Phoenix narrowed his eyes as he thought for a moment. "One commonality we share is that we are both solitary creatures. Neither she nor I allow many into our company."

"Khm... bi tsereg oi ruu edgeer khaldagchdyn barimtalj baikh üyed oin ööriin ni ug üildel yum shig... ene ni... yaaj oi ni ööröö naiz, daisan khoyoryn yalgaag medekh yum be?" Maharaja asked.

"The forest, and all the life within it, is an extension of herself. It is its own form, but it is all interconnected back to her… she depends upon it just as it depends on her." The Phoenix said. "They form a symbiotic bond, each protecting the other."

Maharaja smirked then. "Bid shirengen oid an khiij baikh üyed minii zarts Haroom neg udaa minii bairshuulagch baisan yum. Ter üner ni tüünii sonirkholtoi medremj... khün ni mash sonirkholtoi naidaj... mön khol ööriin sudsaar damjuulan ajillaj baigaa ni manai makhchin tsus üner yum."

The Phoenix tilted his head once more. "The blood of your prey… how might this apply to my will to destroy the nymph?"

"Magadgüi oi ni sudal ni tsus ni naiz, esvel daisan meddeg... naiz ni tsus ugtan avch baina daisnuud tsus khöögdsön baina." Maharaja answered.

The Phoenix thought upon his words for a moment. "Perhaps it could be indeed… even if the forest sensed its welcomed guests by their blood… how would we obtain enough to pass if they all remain within the forest? It is a vicious cycle where we are disadvantaged."

"Bid odoo ta nar sul kheveer sergeej bolokh yum , bi... minii arga khemjeeg ürgeljlüülen avna... tsag, arga zamyg olokh bolno." He pointed to the ground under the Phoenix before pointing to his sword, laughing as he headed back to check on his minions' progress. The Phoenix watched him for a moment, resuming his concentration as he thought deeply upon what he had discussed with Maharaja…

Was the blood of his enemies the key to his victory?

In the shadows, Hans stood quietly, he too thinking deeply upon what he had heard from the conversation he had eavesdropped upon. In his mind, the better he served the Queen, the more she would give him when they would overcome their enemies. If he remained in her good graces and served her well, he would be rewarded well. His brothers would rue the day they treated him like an underling. His family would regret doubting his ability to be a ruler. He smirked lightly to himself, quietly heading out of the area.

The Queen paced around a bit, her fingers drumming upon the tops of her hands as she kept them crossed. She was becoming impatient, chewing her lip as she awaited Eliza's arrival. She knew that the process she had planned would be gradual, but if all was lost now, it would certainly push her far back in this game she had mapped out in her mind. Just when her exasperation was about to boil over, she heard the sound of small footsteps approaching, turning and smiling upon seeing Eliza walking towards her.

"Eliza, dear… what a pleasure it is to see you again!" The Queen grinned, ushering the child towards the same small setup as the night before. Eliza glanced at the Queen warily, pulling the chair out and sitting on it. She kept her satchel in her lap, resting her arms on it. She glanced over at the pen and parchment, seeing her writing on it from the night before. She was about to reach over to begin writing when the Queen waved her hands lightly. "Oh, before you begin that… you must have worked up an appetite from your journey…" She tapped her chin. "Tell me child, what is your favorite dessert?"

Eliza blinked, placing her hands down for a moment and clearing her throat. "I… Rapunzel said not to eat too much dessert after supper, it disturbs one's sleep…"

"Oh, that's nonsense! A small treat shall do you no harm, child. Here you are, sacrificing yourself for your dear friends… you deserve a small something for all your hard work, hm?" The Queen smiled. "Anything you like, you may have. It'll be our little secret."

Eliza looked around unsurely, thinking that saying no again may agitate her. "A- Alright… I do love when Alice bakes cookies… I share them with my friend Olaf."

The Queen gave her a nod, waving her hand as a single cookie appeared with a glass of milk. Eliza blinked in shock, cautiously taking the cookie and eating it, glancing up at her warily as she drank the milk. When nothing happened, she looked up at the Queen in surprise.

"Wasn't that nice? Here…" The Queen extended her hand, offering Eliza a cloth napkin to dab her mouth with. "… now that you've had some food for thought, you may write." Eliza nodded, dipping the quill in the red ink as she began to write. The Queen observed her, smirking lightly. "Dear girl, is that not the same dress you wore just yesterday?"

Eliza stopped for a moment, glancing down at herself. "Yes… there aren't many in my size in the castle. Anna is having more made for me."

The Queen laughed. "No need, child." She waved her hand again, a red box appearing in her hands. When Eliza finished writing, the Queen whisked her hand to make the parchment, pen and ink disappear, putting the box in its place. "Here, see if it is to your liking." The Queen said.

Eliza tilted her head, craning her head before reaching over, cautiously lifting the lid. When all seemed to be safe, she lifted it all the way, lifting the contents out slowly to look at it. She removed a red dress from the box, holding it up to her as she looked down at it.

"Is this for me…?" Eliza asked.

"Indeed, it is…" The Queen answered. "… do you like it? It looks as if it is a perfect fit."

Eliza's fingertips grazed over the material. "It's velvet. Alice and I could never think to afford velvet back in London…"

The Queen chuckled lowly at this. "Consider it a gift. You may wear it and everyone shall know you are worthy of such fine material. A pretty dress to match a pretty face."

Eliza glanced up at her, clearing her throat a bit. "Thank you…" She said quietly, shifting a bit uncomfortably on her feet. "… you don't… wish for anything in return, do you?"

"Of course not…" The Queen smiled, Eliza wincing as she pat her head as gently as possible. "Just continue to return here each night as promised… these gifts are simply a symbol of my appreciation of your company. I do very much look forward to it each evening now."

"Oh… well, I must return home now…" Eliza said.

"Ah, yes… wouldn't want to make your dear friends worry…" The Queen said, reaching for a snow globe. "By the way…" She smirked darkly for a moment. "… Alice doesn't have any suspicions of your visits here… does she? She certainly wouldn't understand my… intentions."

Eliza frowned. "No… it's been some time since I've seen Alice and Jack… they've been away."

The Queen placed a hand on her chest. "Oh, that's quite interesting…" She furrowed a brow. "Are you not their precious sister? I would at least think they would visit you now and then…"

Eliza bit her lip for a moment, narrowing her eyes a bit. "No… they cannot because they are fighting you!" She exclaimed. "I don't care how many gifts you give me, you're still going to try to harm Alice!"

The Queen did her best to put on an insulted expression. "My dear, I know it must be so hard to endure your struggles… but you do remember that since we've forged our agreement, I have not sent one to seek out Alice or Jack to cause them harm…" She raised her brows. "… so they cannot be fighting me if that is the case, right? Look around you child, you are wise beyond your years! Do you see any battles, any bloodshed?"

Eliza's expression softened, the Queen's words sinking in a bit. "… no…"

"That's right… so my dear, being you have affirmed that, then you must be wondering; what could be stopping Alice and Jack from seeing you again?" The Queen asked. When Eliza fell silent, her eyes widening a bit as she glanced downwards, the Queen furrowed her brows lightly as she placed a gentle hand on Eliza's back. "Oh dear, I hope I haven't upset you… that wasn't my intention…"

Eliza shook her head, exhaling sharply. "I- I'm sorry… I must return home…"

"Of course." She handed her the snow globe then, Eliza taking it into her hands as she gathered her satchel and the dress. She whispered into the snow globe, glancing up at the Queen.

"Thank you for the gift…" She said quietly, casting the snow globe down and walking through the portal.

"No, my dear girl…" The Queen said after Eliza left, chuckling darkly. "… thank you."

* * *

Pitch was strolling about, finally having rested up a bit after laboring all night long. He raised a brow, not having seen Emily all morning.

It was an odd mixture of feelings, being with his daughter again; a bitter sweetness that seemed to battle inside of him. A part of him simply wanted to tell her that he was so happy to see her again, knowing that he still had a part of his family, the love he had shared with his Lady, living and breathing in this world. However, the rational part of him knew that it would mean nothing; Emily resented him, formed a barrier to keep him just far away enough to protect her heart, yet close enough to prevent anyone from completely forgetting her.

He wondered if the latter aspect gave him reason to hope that there was somehow, some way, a chance to make amends with her.

Oh, how he wished now she had taken on her mother's personality; the one thing she seemed to retain of her was her sometimes strict and orderly nature, but even Lady was quick to forgive, and had a heart warmer than the sun itself. No… Emily had grown quite introverted and standoffish over the past few centuries, resolving to isolate herself in her own disappointed hopes as they festered in her heart. Much like himself as well, she lived how she wished; no one to instruct her, and if there was something she desired, nothing could stop her from taking it. She certainly had a dark side to her, and Pitch knew that he was the cause of its inception.

He stopped when he noticed her meditating, but this isn't what raised red flags for the Nightmare King. He narrowed his eyes, hissing lowly when he noticed Bunny sitting beside her.

In the past, Pitch had despised all of the guardians… this was a known fact. There was something that rubbed him the wrong way about each of them; he resented North's popularity among children, Tooth's ample access to resources, Sandy's usurpation of his niche… but Bunny… oh, that oversized rabbit, even now he despised with a passion. It was his arrogance, his thick-headed pride, believing that he was the most important thing in the universe with a pair of rather large feet. When the other guardians would subdue him, they would do so out of civic duty, to ensure that their protection over the children was fulfilled.

With Bunny, it went beyond that.

The way he would sneer at him, mock him, rub in his face that he had lost… indeed, Bunny was quite competitive, and would not hesitate to let one know when he was the clear winner. He didn't care who you were either, he would never back down. He was the hardest to intimidate out of all the guardians, he could even pull one over on North before him.

Seeing him now, near his precious daughter… it raised a deep suspicion in him.

He was no fool, he knew that despite the uneasy alliance with the guardians now, that Bunny still despised him as much as he did the Easter guardian. Bunny was the type to get back at those who had wronged him, and Pitch figured he was most likely at the top of his grudge list. He began to debate the idea of whether or not he was just being paranoid, but he asked himself a very disturbing question, at least, disturbing to him…

Could Bunny use Emily to get back at him?

It was indeed possible… it wouldn't take much to turn Emily against her father. After all, she harbored many ill feelings for him; he could see her desiring to inflict much emotional pain upon him. She and Bunny together, for this reason, would be a catastrophic combination for Pitch. He growled lowly at the very thought of that giant rodent using his daughter like a puppet for his own selfish desires… he would not allow anyone to manipulate her, especially not HIM. Resolving to find out just what they were up to, he began to march forward towards them. Just as he was about to call out to them, the sound of an engine roaring distracted him, making him turn around to see Vanellope pull up to him.

"Hey, pal!" Vanellope chirped. "Want to go for a spin?"

Pitch blinked, glancing back at Emily and Bunny before sighing.

"I was about to have a word with my daughter…" He replied.

"Come on, you can talk to her later! She looks busy anyway. It'll be fun! You worked hard on this anyway, I'm being nice enough to at least let you enjoy it a little." Vanellope said.

Pitch groaned, rubbing his face a bit. "Oh, alright… if you insist." He replied, approaching the vehicle and climbing into the front passenger seat to sit down.

"Check out what I did with the place!" Vanellope beamed, waving her arm behind her. "Emily would appreciate it I think, I made everyone using sticks and leaves. I even made you!"

Pitch raised a brow, seeing sticks and leaves stuck to the wall, a few sharpened rocks used for his teeth. "It's fantastic, a spitting image." He replied, rolling his eyes.

"Jeez, a little thanks would be appreciated…" Vanellope said flatly. "Alright, buckle up!"

Pitch glanced down and around him. "I beg your pardon, but there seems to be no seatbelt to-"

"It's just an expression!" Vanellope laughed, Pitch crying out in surprise when they sped off through the forest. Pitch gripped the seat, his eyes wide. She weaved through the trees, doing wheelies and speed jumps whenever the hilly ground gave her opportunity.

"You're going to kill us both!" Pitch shouted, Vanellope cheering when she skidded to a stop.

"Come on, I'm an expert, remember?" She grinned.

"This is not some race track, you could get hurt driving at these speeds out here!" Pitch exclaimed, clearing his throat. "N- Not that I would care, at least I'd be rid of you!"

Vanellope blinked, smirking a bit. "Aww… you care about me!"

Pitch sputtered, crossing his arms. "That's ridiculous."

"Come on, it's written all over your face, it's clearer than the black frosting drawings you woke up with the other morning!" Vanellope giggled.

"It is NOT. And by the way, you little mischief-maker, it took me two days to finally get all of that sticky goop out of my hair!" Pitch snapped.

Vanellope cracked up, slapping her knee as she laughed. After a minute or two, her laughter settled as she smiled at him. "Listen… joking aside, it was… kind of nice what you did the other day. I asked Elsa this morning to make the braid for me again like you did."

Pitch glanced over at her, his expression softening. "Did you now?"

"Yeah… I told her to give you a break, that you're trying real hard to be nice. She said she would keep it in mind." Vanellope smirked a bit.

Pitch raised a brow, chuckling at this. He sighed, straightening up and uncrossing his arms. "Perhaps you're not such a brat after all."

Vanellope shrugged. "Maybe you're not such a big jerk face." Her smile faded a bit then. "Emily's pretty lucky…" She said suddenly.

Pitch tilted his head then. "And how is that?"

Vanellope shrugged. "She has a dad… and she had a mom once. I don't have either of those." Vanellope played with the end of her hair a bit. "See, us folks at the arcade, we aren't… 'born,' like people from the 'players' universe are. We're programmed. Sometimes we have programmed parents, I mean… it depends. I had nobody… pretty much because I am a nobody." She chuckled sadly. "I wasn't even SUPPOSED to be programmed… everyone said I was just a mistake by the programmers."

Pitch had remembered her mentioning this the other day, frowning lightly. "Each of us has a purpose in life, Vanellope; whether or not we realize it, or know the reason… whether it is for good or evil means… each of us has a place in this world."

"That would be nice..." Vanellope smiled lightly at him. "See, I told you that you cared." She smirked.

Pitch rolled his eyes. "Fine, maybe a little. Only to get back in Elsa's good graces."

"Just keep telling yourself that, big guy!" Vanellope giggled as she drove them back towards camp.

* * *

 **Aww... come on, you can't tell me that these two are not adorable. No doubt that Pitch is beginning to adopt a fatherly role towards Vanellope, doing so as he wishes all the more to be so for his own daughter. I know this chapter was a bit short, I promise that I will update soon! In the meantime, please leave a nice review and share your thoughts! Thanks again for reading and see you next time!**


	20. Having Better Understanding

**Good evening readers! A quick followup from yesterday, hope you're ready for another chapter! What drama will you encounter this time? Read on and discover, my friends! Please enjoy as always!**

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Sandy floated over to Jack, tapping his shoulder lightly and motioned towards Alice, a question mark over his head. Jack glanced over, sighing. "All water under the bridge now..." He used his staff to help himself to his feet, stretching out his neck. "This whole thing is messing with all our heads. The sooner we all get our strength up and bring down the Queen, the better." He looked to Emily's throne, his expression becoming determined.

Bunny stretched his arms, wincing a bit as he held his healing one for a moment. When he saw Emily look at him with a hint of concern, he cleared his throat. "It's fine, I'm fine... just gonna get something to satisfy my appetite." He smiled lightly, about to head off when he glanced back at her. "Oh, uh... Em?" Emily raised her brow in response. "... this was uh... nice. You know... the meditating and all."

Emily tilted her head curiously for a moment before smiling lightly, nodding. She looked to the ground, whisking her hand to produce a leaf that sprouted from the ground. She plucked it, rising to her feet to hand it to him. "This should help to ease the aching. Consume this with some of the fruit that grows just south of here, it shall also help with your hair regrowth."

Bunny nodded, thanking her quietly. He went up to her, taking Emily by surprise when he gave her a brief hug. She was taken aback by the gesture, watching after him as he left. She slowly hugged herself to recreate the feeling, smiling inwardly.

It had been an age since she knew the warmth of something as simple as a hug. She received many as a child, loved by all... especially her parents. She had learned in her life to become accustomed to not having physical closeness with anyone, for it associated with trust; an aspect she had forsaken long ago.

Her thoughts were broken when Jack approached, turning to look upon him. Her expression became serious, straightening up.

"Hey, Emily." Jack started. "I was hoping I could talk to you."

Emily narrowed her eyes for a moment, giving him a nod. "You have proven my misjudgment of you, Jack Frost. Your maturity and wisdom has certainly surpassed that which you had years ago. I am curious to know what you desire to discuss with me."

Jack took a step forward, clearing his throat and nodding towards Bunny. "How's he feeling?"

"He is well. He regrets any harm he has done unto you." Emily smirked lightly. "I know he feels very strongly for your human mate. I also know it is quite difficult to deny Bunnymund anything he desires. He must truly find a friend in you for him to reconsider his actions. Perhaps... both of you have changed much these last few centuries." She began to slowly pace around him. "First impressions upon any form of love is very strong. Alice is your first love, is she not?" She asked.

"Y- Yeah..." Jack furrowed a brow. "How did you know-"

"I have seen many things, Jack Frost." Emily smiled knowingly, approaching the shallow pool which her throne sat in. "The sacred water reveals many origins to me. Many answers are shown to me in regards to your character." She turned to look at him. "I also know the true reason you have sought me out in this moment. Do you think me ignorant to the outside world because I remain here?" She asked. "I know the perils that lie beyond my domain. You once again seek my offensive assistance in this fight. I regret to tell you that I cannot give you what you seek."

Jack exhaled sharply, closing his eyes tightly for a moment. "You've seen what they can do to us Emily... y- you told me last time that you have power greater than any of us here." Emily smirked a bit as she continued to pace around him. "... I can see that, looking all around me... no one could make a protective barrier like this. But if you could just... you could destroy the Queen in a second with your power, I know it. Please, Emily... please help us, just this once..."

Emily looked up at him, smiling a bit gentler. "Your heart is in the right place, Jack Frost. It is indeed noble and worthy of a hero's treatment. However... I have lived far longer than you. You know this. There is much in this world you do not yet understand." Emily turned back to look into the pool. "Do you believe my power alone is enough to defeat this... Queen in the Phoenix's mountain?" She asked.

"I think it could be." Jack said. "Now I've never seen your full potential, Emily... but I would feel bad for anyone who did."

Emily chuckled lightly. "A true sentiment, Jack. You certainly know your place. However... you are wrong about one thing. It does not take simply power alone to win a war... especially this one." She waved her hand over the water, Jack taking a step closer to it to peek over. "I know very little of this Queen... but I know she is very cunning, and ruthless. She bears no warmth or mercy to friend or foe. It is for this reason she is the most dangerous of all."

"I know you can stop her, Emily... I have faith... I know the others would too." Jack said.

Emily exhaled slowly, shutting her eyes for a moment before reopening them, turning to Jack.

"Come. Look into the water… what you shall see inside will point to the reason for my reluctance… and why you too, should be wary of the force you have reckoned with." Emily said, waving a hand over the pool and stepping back.

Jack stepped up to the water, a small ripple disturbing the calm water as it began to glow, illuminating his face. He began to see something, crouching down a bit as he saw a girl with raven hair and emerald green eyes laughing, calling for her papa as she was embraced by a man wearing golden armor. "Pitch…" Jack breathed, the waters now showing Pitch, formerly Kozmotis, pointing his sword to lead an army against the vile dream pirates, defending the city. It then changed again, showing a beautiful woman with white hair humming lightly to herself, gasping when intruders- dream pirates- broke in. She took a doll bearing resemblance to her precious daughter, throwing herself through the window and falling to her death. Jack furrowed his brows when he witnessed Kozmotis crying out in agony, holding his dead wife in his arms. Jack then saw him outside the prison, gasping when he heard the voice of his daughter calling him. Jack gasped himself when he saw Kozmotis become overtaken by the dream pirates, turning him into the Boogeyman.

What Jack witnessed in the waters next shocked him.

He saw himself.

It was when he had first begun to help the guardians, Baby Tooth with him as he followed the sound of his sister calling him into the depths of Pitch's old lair. He furrowed his brows deeply as her echoing voice made the water turn red, his eyes widening when he saw his sister changing, turning into someone very sinister as her now crimson red eyes burned into his. She began to call Alice's name now, smirking wickedly as she was soon replaced by the Queen, hissing as she seemed to reach out to grab him. Jack cried out, throwing himself back as his heart raced in his chest. The water steadied then, calming as he slowly got to his feet, his eyes remaining upon it for a few moments just for good measure. He closed his eyes for a moment to get his breathing under control, using his staff for support. He glanced back at Emily, who was staring at him through narrowed eyes.

"I saw… I- I saw my sis-"

"I know exactly what it is you saw, Jack Frost… for the wellspring of the sacred waters and I are deeply connected." Emily said, taking a step forward. "Your loved ones are doomed to suffer the same fate as those of my father… one by one, she will find your weaknesses; any strength taken from one leaves a great vulnerability. The strength you draw from your loved ones shall be destroyed." Emily glanced back towards the encampment. "One by one, the Queen shall destroy you all by breaking the bonds between you. The process has already begun. This is how the Queen shall subdue even those with greater power than she. Those she cannot overcome with power alone, she shall use tactic, manipulation and stealth to seize the day. In so doing, she shall watch triumphantly as her enemies destroy themselves."

Jack shook his head. "No… no, we're not going to turn on each other… I won't let that happen, Alice won't let that happen. And my sister, she's safe in Arendelle… if the Queen tries to get her, the others there will fight her off."

Emily raised a brow. "Do not be so confident, Jack, as to underestimate the Queen's capabilities. Come, I shall show you one last thing." She said, motioning him to follow her. He did so, following her to the edge of her forest where some of the trees were becoming bare, lacking leaves. She narrowed her eyes, bending down to see that some of their roots had been torn out before those responsible were impaled by her thorny vines. She graced a hand over the broken roots, rising to face Jack. "You see, Jack… imagine yourself to be this tree… and the roots you bear to be your loved ones." She pointed to the dying tree. "See how the roots have been forcefully cut, and how ivy is overtaking it, completely encasing it? It is what happened to my father… it shall also happen to you if those you draw strength from are taken from you."

Jack bit his lip, sighing. "Emily… you said yourself I have a good heart. I'm not going to let myself become evil, otherwise… I'd just disappoint my family… my friends."

Emily smiled sadly. "I'm sure my father would have thought the same as you long ago." She glanced at Jack for a moment before waving her hand over the tree, giving it new life. "You see Jack… you and the others most likely think I maintain this forest as I do to keep others out… and indeed, that is true. However, I also keep myself inside… away from the outside world. I do not wish for it to pollute my heart, to fall into darkness as my father did. I shall not follow in his footsteps."

Jack frowned at this. "Emily, you have to give yourself a chance… this is no way to live, being alone all the time. When no one could see me, before I became a guardian, I was miserable."

"I was given a chance, Jack… long before you were a thought. After my mother died, I had to flee from my home; remaining there would have led to my death. I traveled many miles on my Schooner until I found a man by the name of Typhan, who lived upon his own constellation. He took me in as his own for many years. During that time, he realized I possessed great power, power I did not know I had at the time, for I had been a carefree child. He taught me how to better harness and control my powers. As the years passed, I awaited my father's return, for him to fulfill the promise he made to me. Each day that passed, my disappointment grew. That disappointment turned into sadness, the sadness into bitterness… and the bitterness into anger. One day, the anger has festered so much in my heart, it had grown so great, that I unleashed it upon an innocent ship passing by. In mere minutes, I had utterly destroyed the entire vessel with my power. Horrified and disgusted by what I had done, he trapped me inside a shooting star as punishment. He told me I would only be released when it would fall upon a planet of its choice; it would give me ample time to think upon my ill deed and reflect. It was in that time I met Sandy." Emily smiled lightly. "He harnessed the shooting star and became a dear friend. He was the one who guided me away from the path to darkness, showing me the light and granting pleasant dreams upon me. It is the reason that even to this day I shall regard him highly." She turned to Jack then. "But as you can see… I was so close… so close to the edge of falling into the deepest darkness as my father had… to travel along the same path as he."

"But you know that now." Jack said. "Emily, in order to trust other people, you have to trust yourself… I don't think you do." He surprised Emily just as he had done last time when he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I trust you, Emily. I hope it helps you to do the same someday."

Emily gave him a firm nod. "I believe we have both said we all needed to say on this subject."

Jack nodded in response, removing his hand. "Just… one more thing…" He started. "… your dad… he's really trying. It may not seem like it, but… he's really changed. Maybe… you should give him a chance. He really loves you."

"As well as your intentions may be, Jack… I allowed you to speak your mind on the subject of my father last time. I shall tell you now that how I resolve to act towards him is my decision and mine alone." She glanced at him with a serious expression. "Am I understood?"

Jack blinked a bit, clearing his throat. The last thing he wanted to do was anger her. "Y- Yeah… sorry."

Emily straightened up a bit. "This conversation has been enlightening for both of us... but I have much to think about, and you as well. I bid you farewell for now, Jack Frost." She said, giving him a nod before her arms formed into wings, flowing up through the trees in a wave of green essence. Jack watched in awe for a moment, sighing to himself as he turned to head back to the encampment.

* * *

Eliza covered her mouth as she yawned, rubbing her eyes as she wandered into the kitchen to get herself something to eat. As she entered, she stopped when she noticed someone duck behind the bags of flour, tilting her head curiously. She reached over, giggling lightly as she grabbed a Viking helmet, placing it on her head.

"Hey, give that back or- oh... it's you." Gustav rubbed the back of his neck.

"I think I want my own Viking helmet someday, or some sort of authoritative headdress." Eliza smiled, taking it off and handing it back to Gustav. "Better I find you in here than the others."

"Yeah, you're telling me... they barely feed me ANYTHING and expect me to do stable duty all morning!" He groaned. "You won't rat on me, will you? Merida will kill me for sure."

"Of course not... though, I would like for you to do something for me in return... being cooped up in this castle all the time is dreadful... even Olaf is allowed to go with Sven and Kristoff to their ice deliveries, so he hasn't been able to play with me." She frowned. "I could use some company being everyone else is always too busy."

Gustav snickered a bit. "That weird snow creature? Well, if you expect me to 'play,' that's not going to happen. I'm a Viking! I do tough, adventurous stuff!"

"I love adventures... hm..." Eliza thought. "I tried to ride Sven not long ago, but I was by myself and I fell. I've always wanted to learn how to fly a dragon, but Hiccup said I'm too young. May you teach me?"

"Pfft, you're not too young!" He waved a hand. "May I? Of course I can! I'm the youngest dragon rider of Berk, I'm pretty much an expert!" Gustav waved Eliza over, speaking lowly. "Look, if I'm going to be here a while, I need to earn a reputation around here; if other kids start to see how tough I am, Hiccup will have to take me off stable duty. I'll tell you what. You help me sneak Fanghook out, gather a crowd, and take us to a good flying spot, and I'll teach you how to fly him. We can do this every day. Deal?"

Eliza smiled, shaking Gustav's hand. "We have to avoid being caught." She said. "I think I have an idea." She stopped for a moment, pointing to his helmet. "I may need to borrow that."

A short while later, Eliza peeked around the corner before waving Gustav on. He hurried out to the stables quickly, placing a dummy of himself to stand out there, placing a broom in its hands.

"This was genius!" Gustav chuckled. "Now we have to go see Fanghook. You don't think Toothless will give us a hard time, will you? Hiccup was pretty clear with him."

"I'll distract Toothless. Take Fankhook over to the meadow I showed you on the map. I'll go out and I'll call upon some of the other children in the marketplace and meet you there." Eliza said. Gustav gave her a nod, the two heading to where the pair of dragons were staying. Eliza approached, Toothless perking up and smiling upon seeing her. She held a fish up, giggling as she fed it to him. "Good morning, Toothless..." She spoke to him gently, petting his face. Gustav watched her as he snuck in, unlocking Fanghook's cage to let him out.

"Huh... she's pretty good with him." He said to himself quietly, Eliza's hands petting him. She pursed her lips, finding the spot on his neck to make Toothless fall asleep, pressing the spot gently as the Night Fury passed out. "He's so adorable." She giggled.

"Okay, okay, come on before someone sees us!" Gustav whispered, Eliza following him. He hurried with Fanghook towards the meadow, Eliza off to the marketplace. Once the young Viking reached the meadow, the Monstrous Nightmare grumbled with relief, happy to finally be able to stretch his wings out a bit. "Yeah, I'm happy to be out of there too. You and I have been miserable since we got here."

About twenty minutes passed, Gustav beaming when Eliza approached with about a dozen children from town. They all gasped and chattered with awe when they saw Fanghook, some jumping up and down.

"Wow, it IS a real dragon!" One child exclaimed.

"Is it true it can set itself on fire and not burn?" Another asked.

"I want to see it fly!" A third shouted.

"Okay, okay everyone, I know you're all amazed by the magnificent Fanghook! But be warned, only an expert like me can handle him, so stand back!" He then looked to the dragon. "Fanghook, light up!" When the Monstrous Nightmare ignited in flames, all the children cried out with amazement, some even a bit fearful until the flames died down. "Alright, so I'm going to be helping Eliza here learn how to fly him, so all of you can take a seat and watch all of the awesome tricks he can do!" Gustav beamed. He went over to Eliza, who blinked a bit when he took her hand to help her up, sitting in front of her once they settled in. "You can just watch me fly him today, being you're new at this." He said, smiling lightly when she nodded. "Thanks for this, by the way... no one on Berk would have ever done this for me."

"You're welcome." She smiled softly, blushing a bit when she held onto his waist lightly.

"Alright, everyone ready?" He shouted, all the children cheering him on as he pat Fanghook's side. "Okay, take it easy for right now, Eliza's new at this, okay?"

The dragon grunted lightly in response before taking to flight, Gustav pumping a fist into the air and Eliza exclaiming with excitement as they took to the air. The children below gasped and cheered, jumping to their feet and running to keep the dragon in their sight. They flew steady for some time, Eliza getting used to the feeling of being in the air. "Alright, let's take this up a notch!" Gustav shouted, Fanghook giving him a nod as he began to weave from side to side, making sharp turns as he gained speed. Eliza laughed, the view from this far up in the air breathtaking as she was able to see the entire kingdom of Arendelle from their position.

Hiccup stretched his arms, taking a break from his wedding plans to take a quick glance outside. He noticed Gustav being a bit idle outside, rolling his eyes as he was about to go out and check up on him. Just then, he was stopped by Rapunzel when she lightly tugged on his hand.

"Oh, Hiccup, come quickly, you have to see this!" She exclaimed, the Viking following her with a bit of alarm. She shushed him, joining Merida and Eugene who both rolled their eyes a bit.

"Eugene, your wife's a piece of work, isn't she?" Merida asked.

"Hey, be nice..." Eugene said. "As much as that lizard annoys me, I admit I'm happy for him."

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on here?" Hiccup asked.

"Shh..." Rapunzel squeaked lightly, beaming as she pointed around the corner. They all looked, Pascal and Baby Tooth in the garden as they squeaked and chirped to each other, both of them behaving bashfully towards each other. The small fairy blushed, giggling as she took the chameleon's hand in hers, leaning in and kissing his cheek, avoiding poking him with her nose. Pascal turned a deep shade of red, smiling widely as he covered his face. Rapunzel whimpered a small 'aww,' resting her head in her hands. "Look at him, I've never seen my little guy so happy."

"Well, it is kind of cute." Hiccup smiled. "We'll be doing something similar soon, right Mer?" He nudged her playfully, drawing a small giggle from her.

"Yes, yes, you've made your point, lad... it is a bit heartwarming. Maybe we all need a little something like this with all the strife going on." Merida said.

"Let's give them a little privacy, we've seen enough." Rapunzel said, giggling quietly as they all headed out of the garden area.

Meanwhile, Eliza cried out with excitement as Fanghook did a nosedive, making a sharp turn upward as they ascended once more. Once in the air, he did one last sharp turn before hovering a bit, making a smooth landing and trotting forward a bit before settling down. Gustav hopped off, Eliza smiling gently as he offered his hand once again to help her off his back. The children chattered and clapped as they ran up to Gustav, who bowed his head lightly and tried to answer all their questions, showing Fanghook off proudly. After some time, he took a step back.

"Alright everybody, we've got to get Fanghook back so that's all for today!" He chuckled when the others groaned with disappointment. "Don't worry, we'll be back tomorrow, I promise!" He waved goodbye, happy that he had finally found some fans as they went back to town. It was just him and Eliza now, the three of them heading back to the palace where they found Toothless still asleep.

"I can't believe this worked! I hope I can fly a dragon as well as you someday." Eliza said.

"You will learning from me, that's for sure." Gustav smiled. "You know, you're not so bad, for a girl." He smiled, nudging her arm lightly as she pouted at him playfully. "Most of the girls from Berk aren't as nice as you are... although, pretty much EVERYONE just makes me do menial jobs and stuff... finally, someone knows how awesome I am!"

Eliza giggled. "I'm glad to have someone who understands me, also. No one seems to be paying attention to me, lately..." She sighed.

The two moved their dummy of him behind the stables, Gustav taking his helmet to place it back on his head. "We're going to have to make a fake helmet to go along with this guy... feels so wrong not having anything on my head." When his stomach growled, he blinked, Eliza giggling more.

"I think you need a spot to eat first... come, I'll get us something from the kitchen." Eliza said, smiling as she headed into the castle.

As Gustav watched her head inside, smiling lightly to himself, Maximus stuck his head out from inside the stables, having just awoken. He stopped when he noticed Gustav staring after her, making a face as me motioned for Angus to look, the two horses smirking at each other. They both inhaled deeply, neighing loudly so that Gustav became startled, stumbling when he lost his balance. He sat up, readjusting his Viking helmet as the pair of horses neighed with laughter.

"Oh haha, very funny! Just you watch, I'm going to start being appreciated around here, you'll see!" Gustav shouted at the pair of horses as he stormed off.

* * *

Hans peeked around the corner, seeing the Queen once again counseling Turbo. The narcissistic prince growled lowly to himself. Why was she focusing so much of her attentions on him? He realized it was more than likely because unlike the cybrid, they were able to handle their own without assistance. However, he couldn't help but feel there was more to their interactions than they were letting on; he did not want to miss out on his opportunity to advance within this collective. He drew in a deep breath, striding forward as he cleared his throat to gain the Queen's attention.

"Your highness, I'm sorry to interrupt... but if you don't mind, I would like a private audience with you." Hans said to her.

The Queen glanced at him, tilting her head curiously before snapping a finger at her card guards.

"Continue your activities, I shall return shortly." The Queen commanded, turning back to Hans as she followed him into a secluded area. Once there, she conjured a chair for him to sit in as she paced around.

"Would you like to sit also, your highness?" Hans asked.

"No, thank you... I need to stretch out my tentacles a bit." She smirked. "Now... what's going on in that mind of yours?"

"I heard the Phoenix and Maharaja speaking to each other." Hans started. "Of course, I cannot speak for the latter because I don't understand his language... but I was able to grasp a basic concept of what they were discussing based on context."

"And what significance is this to me?" The Queen asked. "Are they plotting against me?"

"Of course not... if I may-"

"Are they planning to form their own faction?" The Queen interrupted.

"N- No, it's not that, it's-"

"Then tell me why you believe that wasting my time with your little eavesdropping reports benefit me? Yes, I see the way you sneak about, trying to find anything there is to know about anything; though I find this admirable, I shall not find appreciation in it until it results in something fruitful!" The Queen snapped.

"An idea they are suggesting may allow us to launch an attack upon our enemies." Hans spoke a bit quicker, allowing his whole thought to be verbalized. The Queen stopped, glancing at him unsurely.

"How do you mean? We cannot reach them so as long as they remain in their sanctuary." The Queen replied.

"They had brought up a valid question, your highness; how does the forest know those who is allowed and those who aren't?" Hans asked.

"From her, of course..." The Queen answered. "The nymph who governs over it."

"Can her eyes truly be everywhere at once? The forest must have some sort of method to sense enemies. Maharaja and the Phoenix... they determined it may possibly be the blood of those who attempt to enter which the forest detects." Hans said.

The Queen tapped her chin lightly, pacing about as she took in Hans' words. She then turned to him, wearing a serious expression. "I shall send you out along with several of my guards. Collect a portion of the vegetation that reacts with hostility to you; a small piece shall do. Return it to me and I shall look into the possibility of such a notion." She stood a bit straighter. "If what you have reported to me is the truth... you shall be greatly rewarded."

Hans stood, nodding firmly. "I won't fail." He said before taking his leave.

The Queen raised her brows, smirking lightly as she watched Hans go along his way. Looking him up and down, she was only distracted when Turbo was thrown into a wall by the Executioner, the Queen having taken a lot of her power to conjure him up again.

"Ow, that smarts!" Turbo shouted, growling as he curled into a ball, spikes popping out to roll after him.

The Queen glanced back briefly before shaking her head, rolling her eyes. He was going to be the source of much aggravation, she thought to herself.

* * *

 **Oh Turbo, will you ever cease to be a comic relief? In the meantime, is Hans really onto something? As for our heroes, despite the validity of Emily's point of view, will Jack be able to change her mind? Find out more in future updates, and please leave a review with your thoughts! Thanks again for reading!**


	21. Emotions Running High

**Good afternoon, readers! Last time we left off, the Queen was onto something when Hans had an interesting discussion with her. We're beginning to see a mental wearing on all sides, and that will be seen more in this chapter. Who will maintain, and who will break? Read on and find out- and please enjoy as always!**

* * *

Alice used a stone she had found to sharpen the edge of her vorpal blade, guiding it along the edge. She sighed lightly, lifting her head when she heard footsteps approaching. When she saw it was Jack, she straightened up a bit. As he drew closer, she sheathed the weapon, getting to her feet and dusting herself off. She became even more uneasy when he approached her calmly, smiling a bit.

"Hello Jack..." Alice started. "... I was just... sharpening my blade."

Jack blinked, raising a brow as he chuckled lightly. "I can see that..." When he noticed Alice's uneasiness, he sighed lightly, gently pulling her into a hug. "Look... you don't have to feel guilty... it's okay."

"No it is not, Jack Frost!" Alice cried, exhaling sharply as he allowed her to pace a bit. "What I did was nothing short of deplorable towards you... I just... I couldn't stop it. All of the barriers I had placed just... crumbled. I deserve all the scolding in the world, I should be reprimanded to the greatest degree."

Jack frowned, gently holding her shoulders to keep her still. "Alice... after all the suffering you've dealt with in your life, it's no surprise that you want a little extra love... it's just... you went about it the wrong way. Bunny just got lucky that time."

Alice furrowed her brows deeply. "But you're right, Jack... I think I still do harbor much love for him. It all stems from when I saw him as a little girl... before the fire."

Jack blinked at this. "Well, I know about the whole... I mean, how you like rabbits and stuff..."

"He inspired my love for adventure... I used to love the break of spring, Easter around the corner... I loved to search for eggs with Elizabeth. She always left me the lavender ones... though I'm beginning to think she didn't act alone." Alice smiled sadly. "The air was always pleasant... not stifling, the last cold breath of winter lingering upon the wind." Jack smiled lightly at that. "When I began to draw, I tried to include as much detail as possible, as small as I was. When I began to dream... that is how I saw things at first. It was... quite odd. I used to see the outlines of things, just enough to understand my surroundings. I was able to see the space between the lines... it was my imagination that filled that space."

Jack tilted his head lightly. "I thought your favorite color was blue?"

"It is... since I've become a guardian, Jack, many memories that had been lost to me are slowly resurfacing... memories from before the fire." Alice said. "I've rediscovered the presence Bunny had in my life before everything went wrong."

Jack frowned a bit at this; not that he wasn't happy that Alice was beginning to recall the pleasant times in her human life, but that perhaps she and Bunny shared a closer bond than he had anticipated...

Would this drive them even closer together?

"Why wouldn't he remember you if you were that special to him?" Jack asked.

"I can't be sure... but remember our first meeting briefly." She chuckled. "I snuck out early one morning to get a head start for the egg hunt. It was just barely after sunrise. I turned a corner in the garden and witnessed him there. He was quite surprised, to say the least. I remember asking him why he wore no clothes, and how he was able to keep the time so well without a pocket watch. Before leaving, he gave me a lavender colored egg, and I was awed when he made his own rabbit hole to disappear into. The flower he left behind was lavender also." She smiled to herself. "From that time on, that color always represented rejuvenation for me... a chance to see the small but innocent things in life. Each year after that I anticipated him. I told my sister and I would awaken every now and then to find a lavender colored egg, believing she had done that purposely. The first painting I did of him, Lizzie said she preferred he was white, for his grey color did not stand out so well in the grass. 'it's why he hides away so well,' I had told her. I began to see everything in a whole new light after seeing him, Jack. Suddenly, I began to wonder if cats could talk... if caterpillars could speak in riddles... I found all the wonder in the little things everyone else seemed to miss."

"Hence the creation of Wonderland?" Jack asked, leaning back a bit.

"Indeed..." Alice smiled sadly. "That all went away after the fire... all of my witty and nonsensical creations went to ruin. Even now... the after effects still sting their environment. Some damage simply cannot be repaired."

Jack sighed lightly. "Maybe that's why Bunny has an abnormal aversion to fire..."

Alice glanced over, smiling lightly as she planted a small kiss on Jack's cheek. The Ice guardian draped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close. He glanced over when he noticed Sandy hovering nearby, sitting up a bit. "Hey, Sandy?"

The dream guardian glanced over, smiling lightly as he hovered over towards them.

"I was- well, Alice and I were wondering... is it possible for guardians to... forget things? Like... for certain memories to just... disappear?" Jack asked. "It's the best way I can ask, it's a bit hard to explain.

As Alice looked up at him in surprise, she glanced over when Sandy's expression became a bit serious, sighing lightly. Alice became more alert as be began to communicate with the floating words again.

"He's saying that this is explained in the secret book he showed you once." Alice said, Jack raising a quizzical brow as he looked between them.

"Okay, can someone explain to me this... staring thing you two have been doing lately?" Jack asked.

Alice sighed. "I told you before, Jack, I am now able to communicate telepathically with others."

Jack blinked. "Wait... you can hear Sandy's voice in your head? But he doesn't have a-"

"Not quite... just hush so I can concentrate." Alice said, pursing her lip a bit. "Anyhow... in the book, it states that immortal beings like the guardians, and Pitch... their minds have the ability to forget certain things for a number of reasons; to decrease unnecessary attachment, to focus upon one's purpose, for survival reasons... for the guardians, to remain true to their oath... and sometimes to forsake emotional trauma they may have experienced. It's... possible for those memories to return, but only if initiated somehow."

"That's... that's kind of sad, actually..." Jack frowned. "It would be like... me forgetting about Jaime."

"Sandy says that there are many children who stop believing in the guardians as they become older, their child mind's eye slowly closes, so ours does to them as well. It makes sense Jack, with so many children in the world it's impossible to have such a deep connection with each one... including the ones we hold dear. Sometimes, when a child mind's eye is not closed, but blinded..." Alice hissed as a brief flashback of the night of the fire played in her head. "... it has the chance of becoming just as traumatic for a guardian close to that child..."

Jack furrowed his brows deeply. "You don't think that... maybe one of the reasons Bunny feels so strongly for you is because he had such a close bond with you all those years ago?"

Alice nodded. "It's hard to say what he remembers or doesn't... I've honestly never asked him, it's not something I enjoy discussing. Some buried memories should remain so."

Jack nodded, not wanting to press the subject any further. He began to question his own mind, wondering if there was any memories he had forsaken; it was certainly possible, he had forgotten his own sister until he saw his memories in Tooth's box, and he did not recognize her until he had read her file when Alice brought her to North's workshop to find safety. His mind began to sting, shaking his head and deciding that giving his brain a break would be for the best right now.

* * *

Eliza gasped as she jolted awake, her breathing quick and shallow as she realized she was back in her bedroom. She took a moment to catch her breath, wiping her brow as she slowly recovered from yet another nightmare. "I thought he wasn't making nightmares for children anymore..." She whispered to herself, turning so her feet lightly touched the ground. "... I must put this to an end... my memories will help me. I will have to find Tooth." She quietly exited her bedroom, heading down the hall to smuggle another snow globe. As she was about to use it however, she gasped when she heard someone open the door behind her, sighing lightly when she saw it was only Gustav.

"Hey... you're coming, right?" He asked.

"Y- Yes... I need to do something first. I won't be long, you can set up the dummy and I will meet you in the meadow." Eliza answered. "You can't tell anyone I was in here."

Gustav nodded. "Okay... you know where to find me then." He replied, closing the door quietly.

Eliza sighed, whispering to the snow globe before casting it down, entering the portal. When she emerged, she glanced around when she found herself in a beautiful clearing, smiling upon seeing a tower in the distance. "That must be Rapunzel's!" She exclaimed to herself, hurrying towards it. "Hm... how to get up there...?" She heard a sound then, turning to see a familiar face as she beamed.

Wick sat against the outer wall of the tower, narrowing his hollow eyes in concentration. "Don't burn it... don't burn it..."

"Wick!" Eliza called out, running towards him.

"Huh? Eliza?" His scythe blasted a small but powerful stream of flames, quickly looking back at it and groaning. "Oh come on, I almost had it right!" As Eliza ran up to him, he pouted at her. "You messed up my s'more, Eliza..." He frowned. "How did you get here anyway, North said no one's allowed!"

Eliza slowed to a stop, her smile fading as she tilted her head. "Wick, you always like to see me... aren't you happy that I've come to visit?"

Wick rubbed the back of his neck a bit. "Well, yeah, I am... I'm just trying to control my fire powers, and it's hard... I almost had it. I miss playing pretend games with you, but I have to protect Tooth and all her little fairies."

Eliza frowned at this. "I need to see her, Wick... I need to ask her something."

Wick twiddled his fingers nervously. "North said not to let anyone come up and-"

"Wick, I'm begging you..." Eliza whimpered. "I thought you were a dear friend, I need your help..."

Wick glanced up for a moment. "Well, okay... I don't like seeing you being sad, so I'll take you up there. Just for a minute, okay?"

Eliza nodded, Wick crouching down so she could hold onto his back. He then ascended slowly, letting her into the window as he continued to hover outside. "She should be at the bottom of the stairs. North is guarding the way though, he may not let you go through..."

"Okay. I'll tell him what's wrong, he will have to let me see her." Eliza said before heading towards the stairs. She had barely made it down two steps before North jumped out, startling her when he unsheathed his swords. He blinked upon seeing who it was, sheathing them and bending down a bit.

"Ramsy-Korsikov! Eliza, what are you doing here?" He asked. He then groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Wick!" He shouted.

"Don't scold him, I begged him to bring me here. North, I need to see Tooth, I need help with something and she's the only one who can." Eliza said.

"Eliza, do you realize what is happening here? Maharaja, the Monkey King, will stop at nothing to find Tooth and hunt her down. No one can come here or whole hideout will be compromised!" North exclaimed.

"But North, the nightmares are getting worse... I need her to find my memories, it may help me..." Eliza replied.

North shook his head. "Eliza, you are smart girl, yes? Tooth cannot stop her job as guardian to find your tooth box now. With Sandy now with Alice and Jack helping them, we need her to keep doing her job so that the lights on big globe keep glowing. I am sorry Eliza, but there are many children who still need us."

Eliza frowned deeply, staggering back as she slowly made her way into Rapunzel's old room. She could hear Tooth chattering away directions to her fairies from downstairs, a couple about to fly through Rapunzel's room to head out when they saw Eliza. Some of them went up to her, squeaking with confusion and calling Tooth, sensing something off with her. She tried to move away from them, but not knowing why she was there, they began to chirp with alarm, swarming around her and some pecking at her when she tried to swat them away.

"S- Stop! Stop it, that hurts! Get away from me, leave me alone!" Eliza cried, waving her arms to protect herself. North came in to try to calm them down, sighing lightly.

"Do you see, Eliza? Other people coming here is making them more nervous, they have become very protective of Tooth and-"

"What's going on here?" Tooth appeared then, gasping. "Eliza! All of you, stop it right now!" She tried to get her fairies under control, Eliza tripping over herself and falling back as a few kept trying to peck at her.

"Stop hurting me!" Eliza cried, covering her face. All of her emotions began to boil over, Eliza's hand suddenly shooting out to grab one of the fairies. Her tension transitioned to pure anger as she reared her hand back, tossing the small creature away from her. "I said stop it!" She grabbed a second one, tossing it to the ground where it squeaked with surprise, shaking its head. Eliza clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "Have a taste of your own medicine!" She shouted, lifting her foot to bring it down when she was pulled back, North lifting the thrashing child to hold her steady. The other fairies helped the ones she had tossed, Tooth horrified as she cradled them in her hands.

"Eliza, what were you thinking?!" Tooth exclaimed.

North finally placed Eliza down on her feet, the girl breathing heavily as she clutched her head. "You're supposed to be my family... why does everyone keep ignoring me, why does everyone keep hurting me?!"

"No one is hurting you!" Wick said, having flown in when he heard the commotion. When he tried to take her hands, she yanked herself away from him.

"Didn't you see what just happened?! All I want is for the nightmares to go away, I need comfort and everyone tells me to go away, to stay in my room, that I'm bad!" Tears began to roll down the child's cheeks, Tooth trying to hold her shoulders steady, but she backed away more. "Don't touch me, don't come near me! I didn't want the nightmares to be real, but I'm beginning to see that it's happening again!"

Tooth frowned deeply. "Eliza, I know it's hard, but we're all in danger, we're just trying to keep everyone safe-"

"No you don't know! They're not even fighting, no one is coming after you! That only means one thing!" Eliza exclaimed.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" North asked, narrowing his eyes as he took a step forward. "Have you been up to no good? You had better not be getting into trouble!"

"Stop screaming at me!" Eliza wailed. "Stop screaming at me, mother!" She fell to her knees, breathing heavily as her hands raked through her hair. The room fell silent, everyone shocked at Eliza's condition as she began to hallucinate. The three guardians looked at each other uneasily, one of the fairies now feeling badly about earlier as Eliza began to sob. When the fairy approached her in an apologetic manner, Eliza glanced up, taking this the wrong way and rearing her hand to slap it away. As Tooth gasped, Eliza backed up to the window quickly as she looked upon them angrily.

"You're sending me away, aren't you... you're sending me away to the bad doctor! You promised you wouldn't send me there, you promised to help the nightmares!" Eliza screamed, her vision distorting as she began to experience a mental break.

"Eliza, what are you talking about...?" Wick whimpered, trying to come near her, but the young girl would not allow it.

"I know why you're sending me away, I know why you always bicker! I'm to blame for what happened to Jack, you told me to be careful and he died because of me!" Eliza sobbed.

North took a cautious step towards her. "Listen to me carefully Eliza... what you are seeing is not real, you must open your eyes and-"

"No! No, I know that you don't love me anymore! I have no one in this world!" Eliza screamed, taking out a second snow globe to toss it out the window, jumping out of it before anyone could stop her to fall into the portal. When she disappeared from view, the three guardians remained in shocked silence for a moment as Tooth gently cradled her shaken up fairies.

"Oh, North... what have we done? She's so distraught." Tooth breathed, frowning deeply.

North felt a pang in his heart, straightening up. "Wick, remain here. I must speak to the others back in Arendelle of this. With all that is going on, we cannot lose Eliza now." When he received nods from the other two guardians, he cast a snow globe, intending to remedy this problem as soon as possible.

* * *

Hiccup sighed, taking a break from once again working on wedding plans with Merida to go check on Gustav. When he saw the boy standing in the same exact spot as he had been the last time he looked, Hiccup sighed sharply as he threw his hands up.

"What am I going to do with this kid?" He shook his head. "Merida, I'll be right back." He stormed over to the door, opening to poke his head out. "Gustav, get back to work! Gustav!" He sighed, shaking his head as he approached him. "Did you stuff hay in your ears? I said get back to-" Hiccup gasped when he turned what he thought was Gustav around to see it was not Gustav at all. The Viking widened his eyes, clenching his fist as his frustration boiled over. "Ohh he is in such big trouble when I find him!" He was about to get Toothless to search for him when someone emerging from a snow globe portal stopped him, taking Hiccup by surprise. "N- North? What are you doing here, I thought you were-"

"No time, Hiccup. We have very serious problem with Eliza." North interrupted.

"What do you mean? Is someone trying to come after her? Did you hear something?" Hiccup asked.

"No... Eliza came to us and acted very unlike herself. She was crazed, Hiccup, she is losing her grip upon-"

"Wait a second." It was Hiccup's turn to interrupt now. "Eliza is up in her room sleeping. How in Thor's name could she have seen you?"

"She came to us and left by snow globe, just now." North said. "She tried to harm Tooth's fairies, she would not allow any of us near her."

Hiccup staggered a bit, running a hand through his hair. "Oh my gods..." He breathed, his eyes widening. "We have to find her. I just found out one of my younger friends staying here is missing too... I'm guessing she'll be wherever he is."

North gave Hiccup a firm nod, going with the Viking to alert the others inside.

Meanwhile, Eliza stumbled through the halls, her breathing uneven as her mind faded in and out of reality. She began to see her parents once again, manifesting as two very sinister apparitions. She could hear their screaming and shouting echoing in her mind, experiencing that feeling of being completely and utterly alone in her suffering. She vaguely remembered what happened back at the tower, whimpering apologies as she sobbed. The pressure had built up so much in her mind she thought it would explode, falling to her knees before passing out.

Gustav was returning Fanghook to his pen, shrugging. "She just doesn't know what she's missing." He said to the dragon, turning to stroll out when he walked right into Hiccup, the older Viking standing there with a serious expression, one hand on his hip. "H- Hiccup?!"

Before speaking, Hiccup raised a brow as he held out his arm, handing Gustav his helmet. After he placed it on his head, Hiccup slapped the back of the boy's head with his hand, Gustav wincing from the contact.

"Are you out of your mind?! Do you have any idea what's happening right now?" Hiccup exclaimed.

"I can tell you that I'm going to get a huge bruise from that... hm... maybe I'll look manlier to the other kids- well, of course, if I did meet any other kids around here..." Gustav chuckled nervously.

"Focus, Gustav! Have you seen Eliza at all this morning? Is she with you?" Hiccup asked.

"Uh... no, I haven't seen her. Just Fanghook and I." Gustav lied.

"What if I told you that she went out and got herself hurt?" Hiccup asked. Before Gustav could respond, Kristoff burst through the pen door.

"Hiccup! We found her, she's in the castle!" Kristoff exclaimed.

Hiccup gave him a nod before jabbing Gustav's chest with his finger. "Stay here." He followed Kristoff back into the castle, Anna and Rapunzel following Eugene and Merida as they helped her to her bedroom.

"The little lass is as pale as a ghost!" Merida exclaimed, setting her down.

"I had no idea the nightmares were getting worse..." Anna sighed lightly, biting her lip. "What are we going to do?"

North sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment. "This has all been too much for little Eliza to handle." He glanced up as Hiccup and Kristoff entered the room.

"I know that you guys have to keep this place secure... but I think that being confined to the castle may be making her feel worse... we should try to let her have some fun, help her get her mind off of whatever is causing her to act out." Rapunzel suggested.

"We can't risk her going out there and one of the Queen's cronies finding her." Hiccup said. "They could show up at any moment when we're not expecting it."

"Well obviously there's been things going on with her we weren't expecting either." Anna sighed. "We've all been so caught up with our own concerns that we've been leaving her to fend for her own."

"I must return and help protect Tooth. You must make sure that Eliza becomes well again. With all that the Queen is doing to work against us, we cannot afford to allow one of our own to be hurting. Jack and Alice are counting on you all to help her." North said. "Come to me only if it's absolute emergency." He stood, using one of his snow globes to return to Rapunzel's tower.

"I think we should just let her rest for a while... some sleep should help her cool off and clear her head a bit. I'd be going stir crazy too if I was in her situation. How did you deal with it, Rapunzel?" Eugene asked.

Rapunzel shrugged. "I was naive... but Eliza doesn't seem to be. Poor thing... she must be so scared."

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe it's a good thing that Gustav is here."

Merida's eyes widened. "Have your lost your mind, lad? Gustav? His middle name is trouble!"

"But North is right, Merida... she needs someone who's going to take her mind off of things... and as much of a piece of work as Gustav is, maybe he can be a distraction for her." Hiccup replied.

"Ye can't expect me to take ye seriously, lad." Merida said with a flat expression.

"Think about it, Merida; Anna and Rapunzel are taking over Elsa's responsibilities while she's gone. Kristoff and Sven go out every day to do his ice deliveries, and with all of the guards sticking to the borders, he's even bringing Olaf and Eugene to help him with that every day. I've been trying to get these wedding plans done with you when we're not taking care of Toothless, Angus, Maximus and the other pen animals. Tell me how we can possibly spend time or keep an eye on Eliza when we're all up to our heads with this stuff?" Hiccup asked.

The room fell silent, all of them glancing at each other unsurely. Merida sighed, rubbing her temples a bit. "I suppose you've made a point... I still don't trust Gustav, Hiccup. He doesn't listen to anyone!"

"I'm going to go out and talk to him... let's give Eliza some space and let her rest." Hiccup said, everyone getting up and filing out of the room quietly.

Gustav groaned, kicking his feet as he rested his chin in his hand. "Come on Hiccup, this is so boring!" He exclaimed, waiting in the pen as he was instructed. He perked up when the door opened, Hiccup entering the pen. "Finally! Can I leave now?"

"Not until I say something to you first." Hiccup sighed a bit. "I don't know how close you and Eliza have gotten... I'm sure there's plenty I don't know. But I need to ask you to do something very important."

"Now what?" Gustav whined. "If I have to clean the stables for one more day I'm going to go crazy!"

"It has nothing to do with that." Hiccup waved his hands. "I need you to keep talking to Eliza and just... keeping an eye on her. Make sure she's safe. She's gone through a lot, Gustav... and we want her to feel happy and comfortable here but with everything we have to do every day, it's hard to find time to talk to her and give her comfort. She needs a friend now more than ever. If you can do that, you won't have to clean the stables anymore."

"You mean it? Awesome! You're the best, Hiccup!" Gustav exclaimed, about to run out of the pen when Hiccup grabbed the back of his collar, pulling him back over.

"I need your word, Gustav." Hiccup said.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it, now let me out of here!" Hiccup rolled his eyes playfully as the boy burst through the doors, cheering happily.

* * *

 **Oh dear... will Eliza recover from her mental break, or will it become worse between the group's unintentional hand and the Queen's manipulation? I will leave you here for now; please leave a review with your thoughts and stay tuned for the next update!**


	22. Persuasive Influences Budding

**Good afternoon, readers! This is going to be a bit of an interesting chapter; alluding to the title, we're going to explore both the positive and negative sides of its meaning. What will that entail, you ask? Well, there's only one way to find out! As always, please relax and enjoy!**

* * *

Later that evening, Eliza opened her eyes slowly as she sat up, rubbing her head. She couldn't remember how she got here, or exactly what had happened prior to her losing consciousness. Her mind felt clouded, her head a bit dizzy as she tried to get to her feet. She had barely taken two steps when she felt a hand on her back, swaying a bit as she glanced over.

"Hey, uh... Hiccup asked me to stay here and watch you. You look like you're about to fall." Gustav said.

Eliza blinked, clearing her throat as she sat down slowly. "Gustav... oh dear, I missed riding with Fanghook today..." She frowned.

"Hey, don't worry about it. There's always tomorrow. Besides, I was able to show all the other kids some cool new tricks." Gustav replied. "Hey, if you're still feeling pretty bad, something that always helps me is some sheep's milk."

"Sheep's milk?" Eliza tilted her head. "I don't think I've ever tried that before." Gustav took out a small bottle from one of his pouches, smiling as he handed it to her. Eliza drank some, making a bit of a face as she shook her head. "It's got a bit of a pungent taste."

"Trust me, you'll feel better soon. Hey... if you want, I can take you out to the meadow to make up for earlier." He said.

"Won't we get in trouble?" Eliza frowned.

"They won't even know we're gone. And it's getting dark so we'll be harder to spot." He reassured.

"Alright..." Eliza smiled lightly. "You're right, I am starting to feel better."

Gustav smiled back, going over to the window to open it. "I know a shortcut around back. I'll help you down."

They both snuck out the window, quietly taking Fanghook out of his pen before making their way across the north western part of the lake over to where the meadow was on the other side. Once there, Gustav hopped off, going around the other side.

"Aren't you going to fly him?" Eliza asked.

"I was thinking you could give it a try." He said. "If you're not too scared to, that is." He smirked a bit.

"Of course I'm not!" Eliza exclaimed, scooting up a bit. Gustav hopped back up, taking a seat behind her.

"Okay, put your hands here and here. Lean forward a little to keep the wind against your back. I won't let you fall off, and Fanghook will go easy on you this time, right pal?" Gustav smiled, patting the dragon lightly.

The Monstrous Nightmare gave him a nod, Eliza exhaling slowly as she became determined.

"Alright, I'm ready to try." She said.

"Okay Fanghook, hover in the air nice and easy." Gustav said, the dragon grumbling lowly in response, taking to flight as the dragon remained only a few yards over the ground. "Alright, not bad! Now we're going to make a slow turn to the left, you have to move with him to keep balance." Gustav said, Eliza nodding as she followed his instructions.

"I'm doing it..." She beamed. "I'm flying a dragon!"

"We're going to try a little higher now, okay? When we go up, lean forward a bit more, and keep your feet against his sides." Gustav said, smirking when they started to ascend. "Ready to go a bit faster?" Eliza gave him a nod, Eliza quickly getting the hang of the maneuvers. Gustav taught her a few basic tricks, Eliza giggling as she performed them all successfully. After some time, they landed, both of them hopping off of Fanghook. "So, who's the best dragon flight instructor around?"

"That was so much fun, Gustav! I can't believe I actually flew him! I can't wait to tell Jack and Alice all about... it..." Her smile faded quickly, frowning as she slowly hung her head. "I can't believe they still haven't visited me..."

Gustav frowned a bit, crouching down when Eliza sat on the ground. "Hey... I'm going to tell you something but you can't tell anyone, okay?" When Eliza nodded, Gustav took a seat in front of her. "I'm the kind of Viking that... if you're nice to me, I'll be nice back. If you give me something good, I'll be loyal. But... no one back at Berk ever gives me a chance. All they do is make me do all the stuff THEY don't want to do. 'I'm just a stupid kid that doesn't listen and messes everything up.' And you know what's worse?" Eliza shook her head. "My own mom gave me up for a stone of good fortune." He sighed, shaking his head. "Makes me wonder if I was meant to always be a rogue Viking."

Eliza tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "My mother and father gave me up too."

Gustav raised his brows. "Really? What did they get for it?"

Eliza looked down at the ground. "Peace." She replied. "After my brother died I always had nightmares. Mother and father fought because they missed Jack and I made them feel worse. They sent me away to a doctor in London."

"Man... at least my mom traded me for something... why would parents just give you up for nothing?" Gustav bit his lip. "Guess we're both rogue, huh?" He stood up then. "We should leave this place... just the three of us, you, Fanghook and I. We can explore the world and plunder ships and get all kinds of treasure!"

Eliza smiled lightly. "I wish we could... but they would all come after us, then we would be punished again."

Gustav sighed. "Well, maybe we can just stick to flying Fanghook then." He smirked a bit when Eliza nodded. "I'll be the most popular Viking in all of Arendelle! Kids from near and far will want to see me fly him. Maybe I can try some pyrotechnics tomorrow..."

Just then, Eliza gasped lightly, realizing she had forgotten something very important. "Gustav, I... I need to get back, I need to use a snow globe to get somewhere... will you help me?"

Gustav blinked for a moment, chuckling. "Well not me, but ol' Fanghook can! Hop on!"

They flew back to the palace area, securing the dragon before sneaking back into the castle. It was a miracle that with all the guards posted at the borders, that they managed to do this each day. Once inside, Gustav helped Eliza to the room where the extra snow globes were kept without being seen.

"Thank goodness… I must go quickly." Eliza said quietly.

"Say… where do you go with that thing, anyway?" Gustav tilted his head. "Like, what do you do?"

Eliza bit her lip. "I… can't really say… I shouldn't speak about it." She looked up at him apologetically. "I should be back soon... thank you, Gustav." She smiled lightly, casting the globe down to walk through the portal. When she did, the young Viking smiled to himself.

"She would make a pretty good Viking." He said quietly, heading out of the area to avoid any suspicion.

* * *

The Queen was pacing about impatiently, clenching her fists when she realized how late it was. She was moments away from having a total screaming fit when she saw Eliza arrive, hurrying over towards her in a panicked fashion.

"I- I'm so sorry for being tardy, please, don't be cross with me…" Eliza said with a worried tone, biting her lip anxiously.

The Queen raised a brow, taking a moment to calm herself. "Hm… indeed, you are quite late… what may the reason be, I wonder?" She motioned over to their usual setup. "Sit, you may tell all just there."

Eliza nodded, hurrying over and sitting down, placing her satchel on the seat beside her. "I lost track of time… y- you see, I've made a new friend, and… we were spending time together."

"Oh?" The Queen asked, waving her hand so that tea appeared, pouring them each a cup. "Here you are…" She smiled lightly. "What is she like?"

"W- Well… my friend is a boy, actually…" Eliza cleared her throat, not feeling very comfortable sharing all of this with the Queen, hesitantly taking a sip of the tea after thanking her quietly.

The Queen nodded slowly. "You are a growing child… I am quite sure you are capable of performing the same activities that boys can.

It was then, upon closer inspection, that Eliza did not notice the parchment and quill on the table. "Where are the writing materials?" She asked.

"Oh, I held them off for a bit… I didn't want the tea to mess them up, after all… you've worked so hard on it already." The Queen smiled. "Isn't this nice? I'm sure you're quite used to being pampered at home, though, such a precious girl you are."

Eliza glanced down, frowning a bit. "Y- Yes…"

The Queen smirked a bit, Eliza's response not very convincing. She then reached over, surprising the girl a bit as she lifted her face gently. "My dear… why, it looks as if you had been crying…" She frowned. "Whatever is the matter?"

Eliza hung her head when the Queen retracted her hand. "N- Nothing… I should just write some more and head home…"

"Now, now… you can tell me if something is wrong… it is what friends do for each other after all, they offer consolation when the other is in distress." The Queen said.

Eliza twiddled her fingers. "I'm sorry, but… we aren't friends."

"Why not?" The Queen asked.

"… well… you're Alice's enemy… and Alice is my family." Eliza said.

"But we aren't fighting, remember?" The Queen asked, smiling lightly. "We can't be enemies if we aren't fighting." Eliza paused a bit at that, the Queen's smirk growing. "Besides… we've already begun to express the deepest contents of our hearts to each other."

"No, I haven't…" Eliza tilted her head.

The Queen raised a brow, the tea kettle disappearing and was replaced by the parchment, quill and ink. "What do you think this is, my dear?"

Eliza's eyes widened as she put two and two together, glancing to the side uncomfortably.

Why was it that everything the Queen said made sense, even if it didn't seem right?

Right… what was right, anymore? What was wrong? Who was there for her to confide in and who wasn't? Who was nice to her and who wasn't?

Her head began to spin as all the answers seemed to point to the Queen.

Eliza bit her lip, snatching the quill and dipping it, hovering the point over the paper. She looked at the words she had written upon Alice's and Jack's side, her eyes glancing to and fro as she wrote one word, two words, three… she was struggling now, her mind trying to come up with the next thing to write. Her mind was so clouded now, so turned around, she could barely concentrate. The Queen grinned darkly as she watched her, placing a few lumps of sugar in her tea before sipping on it.

"Having some trouble, Eliza?" The Queen asked.

"N- No… I'm just fatigued… I had quite an active day." Eliza sighed, becoming more and more stressed. She wrote a fourth word, two more to go… she whimpered lightly, her knees bouncing up and down from her nerves.

The Queen tapped on her chin, pursing her lips. "I shall make a deal with you." She started. "If you do a little something… well, two little somethings for me… they shall be acceptable substitutes for the words you seem to be… having some difficulty with."

Eliza furrowed her brows, placing the quill down. "What would you want me to do?"

"Hm… for the first thing… I want you to reveal to me the reason behind the tears you shed earlier in the day." The Queen pondered a bit more. "For the second thing… I want you to try to trust me." She straightened up a bit. "What you know of me comes from mostly Alice's testimonies. There is more to who I am than what she has told you. I can be a friend just as I can be a foe. And to you, my dear, I would be most honored to be called a friend."

Eliza narrowed her eyes warily. "Why? Why me?"

"Because… you are a most extraordinary child. You do not yet see it, but I do. I am privileged to have you in my company. A child like you, to have overcome so much adversity and remain so strong, so brave… I do not doubt those back at home must appreciate your strength to endure." The Queen said.

The Queen knew she was beginning to further touch upon a nerve with her comments, Eliza avoiding her gaze as the child realized more and more how things seemed to look through the Queen's perspective; she hated to admit it, but in a twisted way, everything she was saying was true. She tried so desperately to come up with just two more words, feeling like an utter failure to Alice and Jack. She felt like she didn't even deserve to be called her sister…

Maybe it's why they had neglected to see her, she thought. Maybe it was because she had been scolded upon once too many times, wandered off once too many times, did something she wasn't supposed to, burden them, once too many times. She bit her lip, knowing she was left with no choice but to comply with the Queen's demands, lest all her efforts thus far went to complete waste.

"Alright. I'll consent to what you ask." Eliza sighed as she closed her eyes regretfully for a moment.

"What a good little girl." The Queen smiled, patting her head. "See how nice compromising can be? Now…" The Queen walked over, retaking her seat across from Eliza. "… why don't you tell your good friend about what seems to be troubling you." She poured herself some more tea, taking a sip.

Eliza bit her lip, feeling extremely uncomfortable discussing anything personal with the Queen. Maybe she could just lie… no, Eliza knew well enough that one thing that the Queen was, was smart. She could see through people, she would know that she was lying and it would ruin everything.

"Well…" Eliza managed to squeak out, hoping if she just gave general details, it would be enough to satisfy the Queen. "… I was visiting some… friends… I wanted them to help me with… with something. But they said I needed to leave… that I shouldn't be there. Many of my friends don't pay attention to me anymore… like my family in the past. I'm afraid to be sent away again… when I was sent away the first time, I… he didn't treat me very well."

"Who didn't, my dear?" The Queen asked.

"… doctor Bumby." Eliza said barely above a whisper.

"Oh… yes, that dreadful man, good riddance to him." The Queen waved her hand.

"You knew him, didn't you?" Eliza asked.

"I did, dear girl. He afflicted Alice's Wonderland very badly… it was I who helped her to overcome him the first time. When poor little Alice was in shambles, she went all over seeking aid from the other creatures… but it was I, when she came to me groveling, begging for assistance, that granted it. I was the one who revealed her true enemy, subsequently leading to his demise. You see, despite how she mercilessly dethroned me… I, who had empathy, helped her in her greatest time of need." The Queen rested a hand on her chest. "You see… Alice resents those with more power than she. She will stop at nothing to ensure they are destroyed."

Eliza's eyes widened at this, shaking her head a bit. "Alice… never told me that… she said it was the caterpillar that told Alice about her memories, and the Hatter."

"I'm not surprised… you see, I was Alice's most loyal advisor once… I taught her patience, perseverance, persistence… I tried to rule Wonderland in her stead, to do what was best for all after the fire… she saw it as a threat, that my assistance was an attempt to usurp her. She took much of my strength, but I lingered… waiting for the day for her return…" The Queen said.

"But… Alice told me you had tried to hurt her… that you tried to kill her." Eliza said.

"In self-defense, perhaps… but always with a pinch of regret, I'm afraid." The Queen said, leaning back. "As for these so called friends of yours… it seems that they do not deserve you. They do not see the greatness you have to offer… but my eyes are sharp. I can see your incredible potential. You have power you do not realize, my dear."

Eliza shook her head. "But… if it's true what you said… about how Alice resents those with more power than her… no, she would never harm me."

"Perhaps not; after all, you are still quite young. She may simply try to subdue you, at first… prevent you from expanding unto the world." The Queen said.

"It can't be… she had just… she was just trying to protect me…" Eliza said quietly.

"Protecting… or hindering…?" The Queen asked. "Your friends… how much influence does she have over them?"

Eliza's eyes widened, shaking her head more. She slowly clutched her head, her mind twisting in an attempt to wrap her brain around what she was trying to comprehend. "No… I don't want to be confined again… it wasn't my fault… it isn't my fault… I didn't mean for anything bad to happen… I just want the nightmares to stop, the… I want my mind to stop hurting!"

"Then fulfill my second request, my dear. Confide in me. I shall bring you comfort. Allow me to look into your heart, and I shall drive away your pain, your suffering." The Queen said. Eliza looked upon her a bit fearfully, wiping her eyes as the Queen extended her arms in a welcoming gesture. The girl gulped, slowly stepping towards her. She stiffened, holding her hands to her chest as the Queen hugged her as gently as possible. It was awkward to say the least, Eliza still staring at her uneasily once the Queen terminated the gesture. "Hm… how about I give you a tour of my new home? It's only proper of a good host. You are a welcome guest here now, and all of my friends would love to have you in their company."

Eliza nodded, again not wanting to insult the Queen or make her angry by denying her. The Queen stood, motioning for the girl to follow her. She smirked lightly, showing her around a bit and trying to engage her in conversation. Soon, she approached some of her card guards, introducing Eliza to them. They bowed, kneeling down on one knee to Eliza when she discreetly snapped her fingers.

"Why… are they doing that?" Eliza asked.

"Quite peculiar… they've only ever done that for me… they must think you are of high standing rank, my dear." The Queen raised a brow.

"Really…?" Eliza found the card guards to be a bit unsettling, gulping a bit.

"Well, it's rather late… you look quite fatigued." She handed Eliza a snow globe, but not before crouching down a bit. "I leave you with a warning I hope you shall heed, Eliza. Be on your toes…" She then opened her other hand, a pair of red shoes sitting upon her palm. "Take these… may they assist you in fleeing from those who do you harm… or placing your foot down when you have opportunity."

Eliza thanked the Queen lightly, taking the shoes before glancing around a bit. "I was wondering…"

"Hm? What is it, my dear?" The Queen asked.

Eliza paused a moment, shaking her head. "N- Never mind…" She took her satchel. "I should return home…" She spoke into the snow globe, casting it down and entering through it.

As the Queen watched, she chuckled lowly to herself. "Yes… my words are festering…" Her thoughts were broken when the sound of footsteps approached from behind, turning to see Hans with several of her card guards. "My dear Hans… what do you have for me?"

Hans smiled lightly, holding up a bottle containing something wriggling inside…

A small sprig, having originated from Emily's protective vines at the border of her domain.

* * *

Elsa giggled lightly as Vanellope began to skate to and fro on some newly formed ice, Ralph chuckling as he watched his small friend get the hang of balancing herself. "Hey, I'm pretty good at this!" Just as she said that, she stumbled a bit, Elsa reaching forward to help Vanellope stay on her feet.

"Someone needs a little more practice." Pitch said, gliding over to offer his hand to Elsa. "Would you do me the honor, my dear?"

"Well, I should really make sure Vanellope can handle herself." Elsa smiled. "Maybe in a little while."

"Hey, I can keep an eye on her, Elsa." Jack said, approaching the group with Alice and Sandy, with Bunny and Emily lagging a bit behind. "Besides, I don't think this is a big enough patch of ice." He waved his staff, chuckling a bit as the ice extended outwards.

"Hey Ralph!" Bunny called out. "Why don't you give it a try, mate?" He smiled, nodding his head towards Elsa.

"Uh… yeah, I'm not the most graceful, Bunny…" Ralph said.

"Neither am I, mate." He winked, glancing over as Elsa waved her hand, making ice blades on the bottoms of Alice's shoes. She then took Jack's hands, the ice guardian helping her to balance at first before, surprisingly, she began to skate like a pro.

"Alright… but if I fall and break the ice, I'm blaming you." Ralph smirked a bit, cautiously stepping on the ice and trying to stay steady. When he sighed with relief, he scrunched his face as out of nowhere, a snowball hit him right on the side of his face.

"It's about time you got here, stinkbrain!" Vanellope laughed, holding a second snowball as she fist pumped Jack with her other hand.

Ralph was about to get back at her, scooping up some surrounding snow bordering the ice patch to chase after her with when he caught something out of the corner of his eyes; Pitch was pulling a Gomez Addams on Elsa, one arm coiled around her waist, the young queen giggling lightly as Pitch kissed up her arm, his other hand holding hers delicately. Ralph blinked, curling his lip as he narrowed his eyes, compacting the snow as his lips slowly melted into a mischievous smirk. One moment, Pitch was romancing Elsa, in the next, he was flown backwards by the impact of a huge snowball larger than his head colliding into his chest. It certainly gained everyone's attention; Bunny threw his head back as he howled with laughter, Sandy and Alice paused their own merriment to raise their brows, Sandy whistling inaudibly as golden hued notes floated and disappeared above his head. Vanellope tried to hold back a snicker, covering her mouth.

"Ohh boy…" Jack said. "This is going to make things interesting."

Emily pinched the bridge of her nose. "Those who battle simply for the attentions of another are fools. It's not as if you are competing for a mate to continue the life line of a species-"

"Hey, um, Emily?" Jack interrupted her, nodding towards Vanellope. The forest nymph stared at Jack flatly for a few moments, rolling her eyes before turning to wander away from the group.

Jack frowned a bit, about to call after her when he felt something cold hit the back of his head. He turned, blinking when he saw Alice with a hand on her hip, smirking lightly.

"Never turn your back on a fight, Jack." Alice chuckled lightly.

"Oh, you are so on!" He laughed, conjuring a snowball to throw back at her.

Elsa sighed, looking between Ralph and Pitch as they stared each other down. "Alright. Either you will both stop this, or I will refuse to speak to either of you for the rest of the day. I'm going to see what one of the others are up to."

Pitch raised a brow. "Very well. Say, Ralph… how good are you at figure skating? Must be difficult with two left feet."

"I happen to be an expert at the Robot, thank you very much." Ralph said, crossing his arms.

"That's DANCING, you idiot!" Pitch exhaled sharply. "Let's put it to the test then. It is, after all, one of Elsa's favorite past times. Not that you would know that… after all, I know all there is to know about her."

"Pfft, as if! I know plenty about her… and even if I didn't, I've been around for thirty years pal, I've seen some stuff… I can figure things out." Ralph said.

"Alright… one, add about… two zeros onto that number, that's how long I have been around. I have you beat by quite a long shot, mister home wrecker." Pitch said.

"I am n- what did you call me?!" Ralph exclaimed.

"SECONDLY… you lived in a DUMP, as I recall. So that makes you unruly, unsophisticated, and severely lacking in culture- not to mention basic hygiene! You honestly think you are fit for someone as high standing as Elsa? Royalty wouldn't so much as look at you let alone wish to be in your company!" Pitch snapped.

Ralph frowned. "Hey, that's… that's not true! I'll have you know that Vanellope is a p-…" He stopped short, clearing his throat.

"Vanellope is a what, now?" Pitch asked.

"… Vanellope is a… a pretty good example of what a real friend should be… uh, yeah!" Ralph finished.

"Well, you still know nothing about Elsa, anyhow." Pitch waved his hand.

"I bet you I know something you don't." Ralph smirked.

"I highly doubt that." Pitch crossed his arms, rolling his eyes.

Ralph pursed his lips in thought for a moment. "You know she nearly choked to death on an ice cube the other day, right? I had to do the Heimlich maneuver on her."

Pitch sputtered then, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. "WHAT?!"

"HA! I was totally bluffing!" Ralph pointed at Pitch, laughing.

"Oh, that's it! Snow ball fight it is!" Pitch growled, taking a snow ball and throwing it at Ralph. "Darkness knows you're a big enough target!"

Meanwhile, Emily decided that she was better off away from all the noise and commotion, not accustomed to it. It wasn't until she felt someone take her hand, whipping her head back to see Bunny, that she stopped, grimacing lightly.

"I am not going back there, so do not even ask the question." Emily said.

"I won't ask then." Bunny said. "Come on, let's just slide on the ice a bit, we can hang back from those other buffoons throwing snow at each other."

Emily sighed lightly, glaring at him for a moment before consenting. "Very well… I must admit, I have been rather fond of our increasing durations of time spent together… you must be getting under my soil, Bunnymund."

The Easter guardian raised a surprised brow at this, the corners of his lips poking into a crooked smile. "Really? Me? The one you used to dismiss as nothing but a 'wild animal?'"

Emily smirked lightly. "Well, you are still a wild animal. I never said that was a bad quality, I simply thought it was the only good quality you had."

Bunny chuckled, the two heading back to the ice. Bunny stepped on first, steadying himself before taking Emily's hands, helping her on. He slid along the slippery surface with ease, Emily's small, delicate feet seeming to dance along it as the ice glowed a bit wherever her toes made contact. She glanced down, smiling lightly as her color began to change to a light shade of blue. Her hair swayed, floating weightlessly as her silky dress clung to her legs a bit, her shape better outlined. Bunny noticed this after some time, doing a double take as he watched Emily move effortlessly, elegantly along the ice. His ears and tail perked up a bit, never seeing Emily in such a carefree state. He smiled, his distraction causing him to fail to pay attention to where he was going, tripping and falling face first into a snow bank. Emily stopped, glancing over as Bunny's head popped out of the pile of snow, shaking it off his head. He chuckled nervously, shrugging a bit when she looked at him.

It was then that something happened that Bunny would have never expected.

She laughed.

It was a genuine, amused laugh, the smile gracing Emily's face brightening her whole presence. Bunny raised his brows for a moment before her laughing became contagious. He hopped out of the snow, shaking himself off before hopping back to his feet. It was then his comical clumsiness continued, slipping as he flailed his arms about to regain his balance. He fell forward, Emily gasping to shoot her arms forward under his to keep him off the ground. It was an awkward occurrence, Emily's hair lightly tickling Bunny's face. He wiggled his nose, her hair seemingly as silky as her dress as it brushed against his fur. It was a nice feeling to say the least, but he tried to just focus on getting to his feet before he unintentionally angered her. She was unpredictable, she could turn the switch in a single moment… he had to remember this.

"Oh, will you two stop fighting over there already?!" Vanellope shouted. "Elsa and I are already having a sleepover, if you keep it up, she'll leave you forever, Boogerman!"

"You stay out of this!" Pitch shouted, packing down a new snowball to throw at Ralph. When he tossed it, the Wrecker ducked, totally missing him.

The snowball soared right at Sandy, the dream guardian gasping inaudibly as he made a tennis racket out of sand, hitting the snowball with it. It then headed right for Jack, but Alice dove in front of him, opening her umbrella to deflect it. It flew in Vanellope's direction, the girl crying out in surprise and glitching out of its way. Elsa, who had been standing right behind her, waved her hand to divert the snowball out of her way. It flew up and over, behind her towards the other side of the ice patch.

When they all realized not where, but who it was now its target trajectory… they realized with horror it was too late to stop it.

Emily had realized she was quite close to Bunny as she helped him to his feet, feeling a tad bit uncomfortable allowing anyone this far into her space. Though she stared at him with curious interest, her lightness from Bunny's fumbling earlier still lingering.

However, it was cut short when something cold collided with the side of her head.

It wasn't enough of an impact to knock her off her feet, but it did make her sway a bit. Her leaf-like ears flickered, her eyes widening as her head whipped in the direction it came from. Everyone, even Ralph and Pitch, stopped dead in their tracks, standing completely still as tension put a halt on their merriment, bickering, whatever they had been doing before that moment.

Bunny looked from them to Emily, worry seeping into his expression. "Em…?"

The forest nymph briefly glanced back at him, her eyes burning with anger as she slowly hovered a few inches off the ground, floating over to the group menacingly as her expression twisted with a deep scowl. Jack gulped as she approached him and Elsa, her eyes darting between the two of them.

"… which one of you is responsible for striking me?" Emily asked, her tone dead serious.

Jack's brows raised as he gulped, his finger pointing at Elsa without hesitation. Alice rolled her eyes behind him, Elsa shooting him a glare. Emily narrowed her eyes at Elsa, slowly approaching her.

Pitch caught sight of this, hurrying over to them before his daughter more than likely killed the love of his life before they could even think about future plans.

"Emily, now let's just calm down for a moment, and-" Pitch was interrupted when the young woman's eyes seemed to burn through him in a death glare. She returned her focus to Elsa then.

"Do you have any idea what the punishment is for doing such a thing to me?" Emily asked.

"I- Emily please, it was an accident…" Elsa held her hands up. "Please don't take it the wrong way…"

"Em, come on…" Bunny said, causing the forest nymph to glance back at him. She stared at him for several moments, returning her gaze to Elsa. She lifted her hand, whisking the air with it. Elsa raised her arms to protect herself at the subtle movement, but blinked when she felt a snowball drop on her head from above. She glanced around, everyone staring at her for a moment before looking at Emily, a smirk now having replaced her prior scowl.

"It seems we are even now, Elsa." Emily said.

Everyone sighed with relief, Jack beginning to laugh at how nervous they had all been. Emily raised a brow, whisking her hand and cutting off Jack's laughing as a small pile of snow dropped on him from above. The rest of the group chuckled and laughed at this, the tension quickly dissipating. Emily turned to face Bunny, the Easter guardian smiling with approval and nodding lightly.

Pitch stared at his daughter, a small smile gracing his features when he realized the lightheartedness of her intentions. He was beginning to see her in a new light; a light that she had embraced so long ago as a child.

A light they had shared together and they had both been robbed of.

It was like a bud now, just barely poking out of the ground. The Nightmare King approached Elsa, gently brushing off any remaining snow on her head before kissing her forehead lightly, the young queen smiling in response. It was then that Pitch heard something, glancing over to see Sandy floating towards Emily and Bunny. Perhaps it was Bunny's chatter that had regained his attention, but that isn't what sustained it.

His eyes narrowed slightly as Emily seemed to focus much attention on Bunny; watching him, observing him. True, she would speak to her dear friend Sandy, but her eyes kept wandering over to the Easter guardian. Elsa seemed to notice Pitch's behavior, because when he went to take a step forward upon Bunny lightly nudging Emily's arm, he felt Elsa's hand take his lightly. Only she could tear his gaze away from his daughter.

"Pitch... let her be." Elsa smiled lightly. "I haven't seen her this social since we arrived here."

The Nightmare King sighed, nodding with agreement. He couldn't deny this fact, but he groaned lightly as he glanced back over at them upon hearing Bunny bursting out laughing, grimacing when he crouched down to scratch behind his ear with his foot.

Out of all the guardians, why did it have to be that contemptible ruffian?

He was loud, obnoxious, stubborn and improper; he was everything Emily wasn't. Emily carried herself with such grace and poise, something that Pitch still managed to do most of the time, even with arduous activities such as battle. The only thing that made Bunny even somewhat tame was painting eggs, and that was certainly not considered a highbrow talent.

The mere thought of Emily associating with this... this scoundrel... it made him shudder. It was bad enough that she held Sanderson in such high regard for darkness sake!

* * *

 **Oh boy... despite this lighthearted moment, will Pitch come to ruin it all? And will Eliza continue to believe the Queen's lies and succumb to her manipulation, or will she snap out of it? Find out more in the next chapter, so please stay tuned! Please leave a review in the meantime, and have a nice weekend everyone!**


	23. Engaging Heartfelt Coversations

**Good afternoon, readers! I apologize for not updating sooner, I had a bit of a cold this week, so between that and work I was unable to get on my computer. Fear not, I am now on the mend and here to provide to you a new chapter! So please sit back, relax and enjoy!**

* * *

Later that evening, Vanellope finished setting up the back of her new mega-kart, as she called it, deciding to take a bit of a walk before she and Elsa had a sleepover that evening. She stopped when she noticed Jack sitting on a log, making ice patters on the ground with his staff. He paused when he saw Vanellope watching, smiling lightly as he sat up.

"Hey... have fun today?" He asked.

"I sure did! I never had an actual snowball fight before. I've got to do that on ice cream mountain one day!" Vanellope smiled.

"Well, fun is my specialty." Jack chuckled a bit. "And by the way, I'm up for seeing a whole mountain made out of ice cream."

"It's pretty sweet! No pun intended." Vanellope laughed. "I would tell you more about Sugar Rush, but... it was pretty rare when I was actually able to go out without being chased off somewhere."

Jack frowned lightly, placing his staff aside. "I just don't get it. You're a really good kid, Vanellope. You kind of remind me of this one boy I know..." Jack chuckled to himself. "Jamie... he's the one who helped me out big time."

"You mentioned him once..." Vanellope said. "At least he has friends. Until I met Ralph, I didn't have any."

"I just... I can't understand why everyone would be so mean to you. It's... it's horrible. I couldn't imagine the kids in Burgess treating Jamie that way." Jack frowned.

"It's because I'm a glitch, Jack. No one likes a glitch because they just mess everything up." Vanellope frowned.

Jack remembered how Pitch had said something similar to Jack long ago, crouching down in front of Vanellope to put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, hey... you do not mess everything up. If anything, you make things better."

Vanellope lifted her head. "You think so?"

"I know so." Jack smiled. "I'll bet my staff if Jamie ever met you, he would think you're the coolest kid around. And coming from Jack Frost, that means something."

Vanellope smiled gently. "Thanks, Jack. I'm pretty lucky to have friends like you and Ralph."

Jack smiled back, resuming his seated position on the log, glancing up at the treetops. "How did you meet Ralph, anyway?"

Vanellope snickered. "The big lummox fell right in the middle of the candy cane forest. I knew he was a big sucker from the second I met him, but he's really not bad. Dumb sometimes, but not bad like everyone thinks. People hated him too... just because he was a 'bad guy.' So stupid..."

"Guess you both have that problem, huh?" Jack frowned. "I had no idea the video game world was so cutthroat."

"Speaking of problems, I don't know what's with him lately!" Vanellope threw her hands up.

"Who?" Jack tilted his head.

"Ralph, of course!" Vanellope hopped to her feet, pacing back and forth on the log. "All he does nowadays is get all goo-goo eyed at Elsa... I want to chuck a jawbreaker at his head!"

Jack blinked, a snicker swelling before he burst out laughing. "Have you ever heard of someone being love struck?"

"Yeah, and it's yucky if you ask me! Of course that big numbskull would fall for it..." Vanellope groaned.

"Well, you have to give the guy a break... I mean, after spending all those years in the dump, it's no surprise that he would fall head over heels for someone as pretty as Elsa. It's just that she's already taken." Jack said.

Someone clearing their throat in the background made them both turn, Alice standing a few feet from them with her arms crossed as she raised a brow. It was Vanellope's turn to snicker lightly, elbowing Jack's arm.

"Ohhh you're in trouble now, pal!" Vanellope giggled.

Jack groaned, standing to his feet. "Come on, I was just trying to explain to Vanellope why Ralph has been such a twitter painted... Alice, don't give me that look..."

"Should I simply assume I walked into the conversation at the wrong time and heard that sentiment out of context?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, just... yeah, it's that." Jack sighed.

"Don't worry Alice, you've got Jack wrapped around your finger like Laffy Taffys to a fruity cane tree!" Vanellope chirped. Her smiled faded then, sighing. "I just hope Ralph doesn't forget about me because he's all gushy for Elsa..."

Alice's expression softened, walking over to them. "I highly doubt that will happen; as absentminded as Ralph can be sometimes, he seems very protective of you."

Vanellope smiled at that. "Yeah, he is..."

Meanwhile, Ralph was about to head in for the night when he saw Bunny heading back into the encampment. He headed over to say goodnight to him, raising a brow when Bunny was seen whistling to himself.

"So... you seem like you're in a good mood." Ralph said.

"I am, actually... today was a good day. We needed a day like today... just letting all that anxiety go for a while." Bunny said. "You know, Elsa's all by her lonesome in Vanellope's kart thing... you may want to check in on her."

Ralph waved a hand. "Nah... I'm sure she's got everything handled, she's... oh. Right..." Ralph got the hint then, Bunny rolling his eyes playfully. "I should just, uh... make sure everything's in tip top shape for that sleepover."

"Sounds like a plan, mate." Bunny chuckled.

"Hey, by the way... I'm happy for you too." Ralph said.

"How do you mean?" Bunny asked, popping the blade out of one of his boomerangs, using a flat rock to sharpen it.

Ralph blinked. "Well, you and that Emily girl are a thing now, aren't you? You've been spending a lot of time together and talking-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Bunny held a hand up. "I never, ever said she and I were a thing, mate."

"But... I mean, I thought... you two have been inseparable." Ralph said.

It was Bunny's turn to blink then. In that moment, Bunny suddenly realized that he HAD been spending a lot of time with Emily in the past few days... after the kiss incident with Alice, Emily had become quite a good distraction to keep her off his mind. He determined then, that what had first been merely had distraction had been slowly developing into a friendship.

Never, in all the years he had knew her, did he ever think he could call Emily Jane Pitchiner a friend.

To consider a romantic affair with her was a whole different ball park, one that Bunny was not willing at all to tread. No sir, he was not going to travel those rough seas, where Emily's emotional unpredictability and capability to end your life in mere moments would forever loom over his head. She was a majestic creature, and at the best of times, she could be as gentle as a feather when it came to tending to her forest. However, Bunny couldn't deny that dark streak she contained, and that it could burst right back to the surface at any moment.

Then again, Alice's dark past made her unpredictable at times as well.

'No, Alice is different.' Bunny thought to himself. He couldn't place a finger on why... he just felt a very close bond with her, something that seemed to keep drawing him back again and again. After meeting her back when the Kinship was founded, he did begin to remember vaguely of when he knew her as a child. How could he forget something so important? Perhaps it was because he was a guardian, and he was responsible for possibly billions of children a year. 'No... Alice is different...' he said again in his mind. He shook his head, figuring he was simply looking too deeply into this. He cleared his throat, finally finding the will to speak again. "Well... I guess I'm just trying to be friendly, you know? Keep her on my good side."

"I guess that's a good idea… seeing how she can probably wreck things better than I could." Ralph cringed a bit at the thought of Emily having another one of her tantrums. "Well, I'm going to take your advice now…" He smiled. "… thanks, Bunny. You're a good friend." He nodded, heading towards Vanellope's mega kart.

A bit out of the encampment's range, Emily knelt down, tending to her moon flowers. When she heard someone approach her, she looked over, slightly surprised to see that it was Pitch. She stood, straightening up but maintaining a slight side stance as he walked up to her. He stopped a few feet away, bowing his head ever so slightly in a formal greeting.

"Good evening, Emily." He started, taking a step closer. "I was hoping you would join me for a turn about the forest… you can show me more of your lovely work."

Emily took in a deep breath. "Hello, father." She nodded then, glancing over at her moon flowers briefly. "Very well."

As they walked side by side along the trails, they did so in silence for some time, Pitch glancing over at her more frequently as the seconds passed. Emily finally raised a brow, side-glancing at him.

"You've truly grown beautifully, Emily." Pitch finally said, smiling gently.

Emily furrowed her brows slightly for a moment, clearing her throat. "Are you trying to flatter me, father?"

Pitch exhaled slowly. "I'm merely stating an observation."

"I'm glad that the end product is satisfactory to you, then." Emily responded. "I know our last meeting was not exactly concluded on the best of terms."

"That doesn't matter to me now, Emily. We are together again." Pitch said softly.

"You seem to be more interested in the hyperactive child." Emily glanced up, narrowing her eyes a bit.

"How do you mean?" Pitch asked. "She's… perplexing."

"Just remember this, father." Emily spoke lowly. "I am your one and only daughter. If you make her yours, I will destroy her." She warned.

"Emily… there are none in this world I would behold as my child aside from you." Pitch stopped then, glad that Emily did not resist him when he placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned her head when he lifted her face, frowning lightly. "I see so much of her in you."

"Do not speak of mother." Emily said, finally shrugging away from him as she turned to move away from him.

"Emily, I know you do not believe it, but you and your mother were all I had. This is why when I lost both of you, the light in my heart was snuffed out, it left an open void for darkness to fill." Pitch said, Emily slowing to a stop as she closed her eyes.

"You never came back for me." She said.

"I did." Pitch replied, approaching from behind her. "You did not allow me chance to say this the last time we encountered one another… when report reached me of your mother, they told me she had been clinging a child with raven colored hair… I recovered your mother from the edge of the vast sea, barely able to mourn for her when I saw you were nowhere in sight. I feared you may have fallen into the ocean. I sent out every man, every ship to search the seas for you. I called your name, again and again, until my voice was worn. I searched for days, months… holding out hope that I would find my little emerald, that I would take her into my outstretched arms and protect her forever…" Pitch's voice shook, shutting his eyes tightly as he clenched his fists. "When I heard the sound of your voice in that prison cell, Emily… when the nightmare men completely overtook my form… I knew the true meaning of false hope. I lost everything I ever loved, Emily. Can you understand that?"

Emily turned, looking at Pitch with a hint of sadness. "Yes. I believe your words, father." She started. "But be that as it may… I too lost everything I loved. My mother, the purest of souls… and my father, whom was my pillar to support me. The man I idolized… he is long gone. Only a shadow of his former glory and goodness stands in his stead now. You have been plunged into the deepest of darkness."

"Yes." Pitch replied. "But I have been trying to climb back up into the light… crawling, clawing, laboring…"

Emily sneered then. "Ah, yes… you've been cast a silver string by your mortal queen… a pathetic attempt to replace mother."

Pitch's spine stiffened then, narrowing his eyes a bit. "You should say the same for yourself… neither of us can deny that you also have been plunged into darkness. It is not as severe as myself… but you are floating down into the abyss… gracefully, slowly…"

"And I too have been laboring to surface from that darkness. To break away from our damnation." Emily replied.

"Believe me… I've taken note of this." Pitch said, his expression darkening a bit as Emily raised a wary brow at him.

"In what regard?" Emily asked.

"Do not think you are the only one with observant eyes, Emily… I too see things the eye does not." Pitch responded.

"Do not be vague, father… speak plainly what you imply towards." Emily said, her eyes following Pitch as he paced around her.

"I see the way you have been regarding him… looking upon him with curiosity… it is the precursor to exploration… and I'll not approve of such a notion." Pitch said.

Emily sighed lightly. "You are still not making clear of whom-"

"You know EXACTLY of whom I speak." Pitch interrupted. "Do not play ignorant with me, Emily. You may be of age chronologically but I have claimed stake in your life now and I intend to follow through this time, whether you accept my role or not."

Emily whirled around, gritting her teeth. "You dare to believe that you can now place control upon me after centuries of abandonment and neglect?!"

"You said something to me the last time we met, Emily… that for better or for ill, I am your father… that no other can boast that claim. I shall heed those words and ensure the best for you." Pitch said.

"Whom I choose to interact with is no concern of yours!" Emily shouted.

"It is now." Pitch said. "And I shall not tolerate a courtship of any kind of that gargantuan RODENT with MY daughter!"

"Upon what grounds do you assume that I intend to court with Aster, father?" Emily asked.

"You've been spending quite a lot of time being in close range with him." Pitch replied.

"I have been spending quite a lot of time in close range with many in your party, father, does this suggest I wish to court all of them?" Emily asked.

Pitch took a quick step forward, hissing. "Do not attempt to evade my words. I am well aware that you cannot be bothered by those in this party who are mortal, so I shall exclude them entirely. Jack Frost is not familiar enough to you to show any interest, and I certainly know that your relationship with Sanderson is completely platonic in nature."

"Indeed, it is… and he would not appreciate your sentiments concerning his fellow guardian." Emily replied.

"Listen very closely, Emily… despite my uneasy alliance with the guardians, I still hold a degree of resentment towards them, especially that arrogant rabbit." Pitch growled. "And more importantly, my blood, though tainted with darkness, is rich, it carries regality of a class that he could never even dream to ascend to. He is lowly, his blood is filthy with the mud of a feral beast. He has the audacity to think he encompasses such greatness within him, he could not even fathom the divinity you are derived from, the divinity you yourself contain within you. I shall not have you be cast down into the muck to writhe for all eternity, to be bound to such an undomesticated varmint."

Emily's face tightened, opening her eyes to glare at Pitch. Seeing the anger in her expression only confirmed Pitch's suspicions, but his words made her seethe inside. "You are one to speak when you would take a mortal queen to be yours."

"You are not to advise me in my own romantic affairs… her mortality does not make her less worthy of me. She has more dignity and composure than that which you are considering." Pitch spat.

Emily raised a brow, then. "But father…" She spoke, pausing for a moment. "You have incorrectly estimated something."

Pitch narrowed his eyes. "What might that be?"

Emily smirked lightly. "A father knows his daughter well… this can even be said for you, it seems… you are right about one thing. There is someone I've been… curious of… and I do wish to explore this curiosity."

Pitch took a step closer. "Whom are you referring to?"

Emily turned then, still smirking lightly. "You mistake my observations of Bunnymund, father. I only observe him to judge the character of those my true interest associates himself with." She paced around, plucking a white rose from the ground, waving a hand over it so that thin layers of ice covered its delicate petals.

Pitch widened his eyes, shaking his head. "You do not mean to tell me you have set your sights upon-"

"- Jack Frost?" Emily chuckled lightly. "Indeed, I have."

"You lie!" Pitch hissed. "Besides, he already has his own mate!"

"You believe that the likes of Alice Liddell is a match for me? Did you not speak of my divine blood? I could eliminate her with a wave of my hand, father. Jack Frost would desire no other but me. It would be comparing a weed to a flower in bloom..." Emily glanced over at Pitch then. "I'm quite sure you are more comforted now, being your strong objections to Bunny needn't worry you any longer. As a matter of fact, he spoke very highly of you. He had encouraged me to build rapport with you when I had not been willing before."

"He is still a guardian, Emily! And he is barely any better than Bunnymund!" He exclaimed. "He is disobedient and lacks respect for authority!"

"I'm sorry, father… but I feel that his disobedience does not make him any less worthy of me." She smirked once again, walking up to a dumbfounded Pitch and placing the frosted rose in his hair. "You wanted me so badly to be back in your life, father… here I am." She sashayed past him, continuing along her way as Pitch's feet remained planted where they were.

"Jack Frost…" Pitch breathed, clenching his fists. "He will rue the day he ever gave cause to attract her!"

Meanwhile, Elsa laughed as Ralph continued to tell his story, waving one arm lightly. "… and I don't remember how many times my foot had been burned from that boiling hot cola… but in the end, when I saw that kid driving like a pro… it was all worth it."

"Ralph… what you went through to help her… it's nothing short of admirable. She's very lucky to have you in her life." Elsa smiled.

"I'm lucky to have her." Ralph smiled gently then. "She made me realize that I should just accept myself for who I am. That being different isn't a bad thing. Sure, I can be clumsy and I break things on accident… and sometimes I have trouble fitting through doors… but doing the best I can with what I have is what really matters."

Elsa smiled sadly. "I wish I had realized that about myself a long time ago." She looked down at her hands. "I always thought my powers were… it was like some disease. That where the ice spread, so did misery and despair with it. It wasn't until I came to terms with it that things improved. I learned to love."

Ralph rubbed the back of his neck then. "Elsa… I don't really know much about… about the 'player's world…' I don't really know much about anything, actually, because for most of my life I was stuck in a dump when I wasn't being tossed off a rooftop. So… I really didn't know much either about love…" He sighed. "… I mean, I love Vanellope like you love Anna, like a little sister or something… but… I'm going to be honest, I feel… something… when I'm around you."

Elsa's smile faded a bit then, furrowing her brows. "What do you mean, Ralph?"

"Like… I get all nervous and I like being around you, but at the same time, I feel… scared, almost. And I mean, I really don't have much to be scared of, obviously… but it's weird… I think this is love, but it's different. Kind of like we are." Ralph said.

Elsa took in a deep breath, Ralph visibly tensing when she placed her hand on his. "Ralph… there's something I need to tell you." She bit her lip, glancing to the side for a moment. "I… I've really come to appreciate the friendship we've built together… and it's been a very stressful and tense time… but I need to tell you that I feel-"

"Hey! No boys allowed!" Vanellope snickered as she hopped into the mega kart, dropping a few things inside. "I'm giving you the boot, stinkbrain!"

Elsa cleared her throat as Ralph groaned, the young woman panicking a bit on the inside that she wasn't able to convey her true feelings to him.

"Alright, alright…" Ralph got up, shuffling past the child to exit the large vehicle. When he did though, he turned to give them both a wave. "Well, have a nice sleepover…" He gave Elsa a shy smile then, turning to head to his shelter.

Elsa smiled back nervously, not having long to dwell on the conversation as Vanellope settled in, already chattering away about the events from that day.

"… -man, I thought you were a goner! I didn't expect Emily to let you off the hook like that. Man, if that had been King Candy, he would have thrown me right in the fungeon for sure!" Vanellope exclaimed.

Elsa blinked, catching the last part of that sentence as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, a… fungeon? I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with what that is. Is it like a dungeon?"

"Yeah… it's a play on words for 'fun dungeon…' except it's not fun at all. He painted all these mean messages on the wall, him and the other racers… some say I'll never race, some say I'm a bad glitch, some… I don't even want to say. I can't even move around in there because they put the glitch proof belt on me…" Vanellope sighed.

Elsa furrowed her brows deeply. "What kind of heartless monster would confine a child to a prison?"

Vanellope shrugged. "King Candy… well, Turbo, actually, is who he really is." The child blinked in surprise then, when Elsa hugged her close. She smiled, hugging Elsa back. "Hey, we should play a game!"

Elsa giggled then. "What kind of game would we play?"

"Hm… how about truth or dare?" Vanellope asked.

"I'm not familiar with that game." Elsa tilted her head.

"It's real easy! I ask you truth or dare, and if you say truth, you have to answer a question I ask you honestly. If you say dare, you have to do something I tell you to do. Then you ask me. You can play it with Anna someday!" Vanellope said.

"Seems simple enough… how about you begin?" Elsa asked.

"Okay, truth or dare?" Vanellope asked.

"Hm… truth." Elsa replied.

Vanellope pursed her lips in thought. "Do you think I'll be a good racer someday?"

Elsa chuckled. "I think you're already a fantastic one… Pitch was telling me about the little journey you took him on the other day."

Vanellope raised her brows. "He did?"

Elsa nodded. "I think you're beginning to grow on him."

Vanellope smiled gently. "Okay, you ask now."

"Alright… truth or dare?"

"Hm… dare!" Vanellope exclaimed.

"Oh dear, what could I have you do…" Elsa giggled, Vanellope snickering. "It can be anything?"

"Anything, I'm completely at your mercy!" Vanellope laughed.

"Alright then, hm… how about… you try on a new outfit?" Elsa asked.

"Where am I gonna get a new outfit from?" Vanellope giggled.

"Here, stand up." Elsa said, Vanellope doing do as Elsa waved her hand. Vanellope gasped, her hoodie and brown skirt being replaced by a light green nightgown, her pigtail reforming into a braid with a matching bow to tie the end. The child blinked, gasping lightly as she looked at the nightgown.

"Wow!" She beamed. "This is so cool! How did you do that?!"

Elsa shrugged. "It's a specialty of mine." When she noticed Vanellope yawning then, she reached over to grab one of the pillows Vanellope had dropped inside. "I think it's past someone's bedtime."

"Oh, come on… I'm nine, not…" Vanellope yawned a second time. "… five…"

"It's still quite late, young lady… young princesses need their beauty rest." Elsa said.

Vanellope blinked sleepily. "But… I'm not a princess…"

"You are to me." Elsa smiled, lightly kissing Vanellope's head as she tucked her into her sleeping bag. "Goodnight, Vanellope."

"… Goodnight, Elsa…" Vanellope said sleepily. "… I love you…"

Elsa blinked a bit at this, smiling warmly. "I love you too, Vanellope."

"… I'm glad we're friends…" Vanellope said before drifting off to sleep.

"So am I." Elsa laid down then, falling asleep soon after. In her mind, she could see why Ralph cared for her so much… but was saddened and confused by how anyone could treat her so badly back in Sugar Rush… then again, she remembered how SHE had been treated when people first discovered her powers. Either way, she had come to cherish Vanellope, and hoped that she could resolve things between her and Ralph before it was too late.

* * *

 **Oh dear... seems like there's a lot of deception going around! Will Elsa speak the truth of her feelings to Ralph, or will she chicken out? Also, will Emily maintain her red herring against Pitch, or will he discover her true intentions? Will Jack suffer his wrath in the meantime? All shall be answered in future chapters, so please stay tuned! Thanks again for reading, and please leave a nice review!**


	24. Moving Towards Negativity

**Good afternoon, readers! There's going to be a bit more action in this chapter, and the plot is going to start building from here. Hope you're ready, and please enjoy as always!**

* * *

The Queen nodded in approval, observing Turbo's improved fighting skills as he sliced, clawed, and ran down her card guards in practice. They had been working closely for some time now, the Queen having become more and more intrigued by his mannerisms and his way of speaking. She was well aware he was from a time beyond hers, and began to understand that there was an opportunity to learn more from him for this reason, as much as what she could teach him would prove valuable. When he finished off the last card guard, she approached him slowly, tapping her chin for a moment before smirking.

"I believe you are now well prepared for combat." She said after a small pause.

"Jeez, finally! I've been working my rear end off here!" Turbo said, some cybugs clicking as they scurried towards him. "Rosie, get me a milkshake, code knows I need it!"

The Queen rolled her eyes playfully then. "Indeed, I am quite impressed by your progress." She took a step closer. "Your hunger for power is finally paying off."

"It'll pay off when I wring the code from that little glitch's throat and I win every trophy in the universe, queenie." Turbo said. "Speaking of which, I could really go for a drive right now… I miss that, just going out for a spin like there wasn't a care in the world." He glanced over at the Queen then, smirking when he had a sudden idea. "Say… you've never been in a car, have you?"

The Queen raised a brow. "I cannot say that I have… we do not have these motorized contraptions in England, it is unknown to the time I am derived from."

"Yeah well, time to get with the twentieth century, lady! How about I take you for a drive?" Turbo asked.

The Queen stared at him with a hint of bewilderment. "Excuse me?"

"No excuse for ya, queenie! Come on, we've been doing all work and no play. We could use a break, don't you think?" Turbo said.

The Queen narrowed her eyes warily, glancing over to see the others working, practicing… and she still had that root to analyze. She could not deny, however, that Turbo had a point, and she could not deny her weariness. She exhaled slowly, giving him a nod. "Very well, we shall do a short turn about the mountain but that is all. And preferably the western end, if those within the forest witness us out an about, they may decide to launch an attack."

"You know, you worry too much, queenie… you've gotta learn to live a little!" Turbo said, moving towards one of the vehicles that had been melded and constructed by himself and the cybugs, with the card guards and Maharaja's minions helping with some of the labor. With his cybug form, it was quite big, and despite its unique configurations, it was still a bit awkward to maneuver; but Turbo was an expert, and he was able to overcome those small obstacles. He motioned his head to the Queen, reaching over to unlock and open the door. "Step on in! Plenty of room."

The Queen nodded, taking a seat as Turbo reached over to pull her door closed. He revved the engine, smirking at her as she rolled her eyes at him, unamused by his narcissistic antics. He drove up and over the peak of the concave, the Queen gripping the side of the car as they sped down.

"Do you seek to have us both prematurely expire?!" The Queen screeched.

"Hey, relax! You're in the hands of an expert! Just enjoy the ride!" Turbo laughed, spinning the wheel as he kicked up dirt and dust behind them.

As time went on, the Queen became less anxious, beginning to enjoy the cool breeze blowing through her short hair and comforting her exposed skin. The sensation was soothing, at one point allowing herself to relax to the point where she rested her head back, closing her eyes. Turbo noticed this when he finally was relieved by the lack of her screaming and shouting, smiling lightly as he realized he was enjoying herself because SHE was enjoying herself. After all the toiling, the working, the fighting, he knew they both needed this. Since he had met the Queen, not once did he ever witness her not being tense, constantly vigilant and alert, persevering, pushing and pushing. For the first time since he had jumped into this maddening world head first, he was seeing the Queen let down her guard, let herself go.

He smirked to himself; he still had that charm, he thought.

Turbo began to feel an inkling of that glory he used to know in the old days; back in the beginning when kids would flock to his game in droves to pour in their quarters; more quarters meant more trophies for him, and he basked in the spotlight of his fame. All of that changed of course, when another game was plugged in; he dared not even say the name lest it made his blood boil. He never thought he could be outshined by anyone, and the fact that he had been made him the angriest of all.

In this moment however, he felt like he was on top of the world. He looked out into the horizon, not a single individual in sight. Yes, this space belonged to just the two of them in this moment, this was his road to dominate. It was not just the space between two lines, it was wherever he chose to go. The taste of this freedom was sweet, and he was going to savor every last bit of it.

What he didn't realize, that right beside him, the Queen liked the taste of freedom as well.

In this moment, free from responsibility, duty, unfulfilled tasks, she felt as light as air. She never thought she would ever come to enjoy fresh air in her lungs, having been so accustomed to dank, putrid air for her entire existence. She cracked her eyes open to glance over at Turbo, smirking lightly as he cried out into the night from his enjoyment. She couldn't deny that his personality was beginning to rub off on her, that she was beginning to secretly enjoy that he wasn't stiff, standoffish, hard like she was.

And in secret, she was beginning to like this new experience.

When Turbo finally slowed to a stop, he took in a deep breath, glancing over at her.

"Hey… want to give it a try?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

The Queen was taken off guard by this question, widening her eyes for a moment. "And what would I gain by learning how to control this… mechanical instrument?"

"Always have to be so uptight…" Turbo sighed, getting out of the car. "Move over, rover." He went around to the other side, climbing in on the passenger's side as the Queen slid over into the driver's seat, all while shooting him a look. "You know what your problem is? You're too narrow-minded."

"Am I, now?" The Queen asked, glaring at him.

"You only see the road, what's right in front of you. You don't see anything BEYOND that. You know what I see? I see the crowd cheering me on all around me… I see the home stretch to the finish line. I see my other racers, most time in my rearview mirror eating my dust… and I see that beautiful trophy waiting for my hands to take it." He sighed blissfully. "You're just blah blah blah, do this now, do that now, all work and never just enjoying the atmosphere… the wind blowing on your face, the thrill of it all… you save it all to the end. Why wait? Why not enjoy yourself now?" Turbo asked.

"Because it isn't a productive use of my time." The Queen replied. "Just as this isn't a productive use of my time."

"But you liked it, didn't you?" Turbo smirked when she didn't answer right away. "Come on, you can't deny that I've still got it. Trust me, queenie, at my prime, everyone wanted a piece of this. There wasn't a day I didn't come back home with one of those kissy marks on my cheek or something."

The Queen widened her eyes in alarm. "Are you implying that this is some sort of courting ritual?!"

"Wait, what? No! It's- okay. You really need to stop taking everything so seriously." Turbo shook his head. "Let me just teach you this already… code knows it would do you some good to get you out and about some of the time."

"Oh, very well, if you insist…" The Queen hissed. "Instruct me quickly so that I may attend to more important matters."

"Okay, okay… neurotic broad…" He muttered the last part of that statement. "… so first, you have to start the car up by pressing that button there. Simple enough, right? Now, put your… well, put pressure on the break there, gently… with your foot or tentacle or whatever… and then you have to switch the gears here." Turbo explained to her what each gear was, knowing the Queen was not a stupid… whatever she was. She was a quick learner, too. "Okay, so just press down on the gas petal- woah!" The car lurched forward, surprising both he and the Queen as her breathing quickened. "… GENTLY." Turbo emphasized.

"This accursed contraption…" The Queen hissed. She bit her lip as she gripped the wheel, doing as he told her, but tried to jerk the wheel back and forth to get the car to turn.

"No no, you actually TURN it. Like this." Turbo corrected her, reaching over to put his hands on hers to show her. She blinked, stiffening a bit at the contact but maintained well on her own once it was broken.

"Ah… almost like the wheel of a ship…" She breathed, nodding slowly as she began to drive a bit better.

"Yeah, a ship, whatever… look, you're doing fine already, you see?" Turbo asked. "You had been such a big baby about it and look at you now. Maybe you'll be almost as good as I am someday." He smirked.

The Queen didn't answer right away, focusing on just getting the hang of this whole driving thing now that she was somewhat into it. After some time, she knew what to do, and it came easier to her. The ride became less jerky, her turns smoother, smirking to herself. "I could imagine myself now… colliding into Alice or Elsa with this piece of machinery would more than likely be fatal."

"You catch on quick; I have to say that, queenie. Now we can both make our glitches road kill." He laughed, sighing lightly when the Queen slowed to a stop. "Now, don't you feel much better after a nice relaxing ride than cooping yourself up all day with nonstop work?"

"I'm not going to entertain that question." The Queen said, rolling her eyes as Turbo chuckled.

"I'll take that as a yes." Turbo said quietly to himself.

The Queen made her way back into the mountain, stopping when she reached her area to take the bottle containing the root Hans had found into her hand. She undid the cork, slitting her wrist and biting her lip as she allowed some of her blood to drip into the bottle. She placed the cork back on, closing her eyes as she allowed her blood to settle around the plant inside. Clasping the bottle in her hand, she began to see in her mind the source of the plant; she could feel its growth back in the forest, how it was nursed daily… but by what? The question, the Queen realized, soon became whom, not what; she closed her eyes tighter, concentrating deeper as the source of the growth was revealed.

Emily Jane.

She observed her form, looking deeper into her past as the shaky, blurred visions continued to move in reverse. She seemed to reside in the forest of her own creation alone, the forest shrinking more and more until she was seen interacting with Pitch and another young girl, perplexing the Queen. She then saw the guardians in a battle from long ago; Emily saving North in the final battle against Maharaja and his forces, speaking to Sandy and agreeing to use her winds to help him just that once. She saw her ascend into the sky, having been trapped in a star that had plunged into the Earth as it was guided by Sandy. Things began to move backwards at a faster pace then; her banishment by Typhan after she destroyed an innocent ship in a blind fury, how she grew up under his care, how she was taken in after something apparently traumatic. She then saw the now small child living in a palace of marble, nurtured by a woman with hair as light as moonbeams... a man approached her, regarding her as his precious emerald as he spun her around in his arms. The Queen's eyes snapped open, gasping for air as the bottle dropped from her hands, glass shattering as blood leaked out, the small portion of vine no longer writhing within its glass container. As it lay motionless, the Queen shook her head slowly.

"No… it cannot be… she cannot be his… daughter…" The Queen breathed, gritting her teeth then as she cried out, slamming her fists down as she gripped the edge of the flat rock she used as a table in that particular spot. She hissed to herself, her expression darkening considerably. "Oh, she shall be destroyed… but I must execute this carefully… oh, so carefully, yes…" She muttered, turning to sit upon the rock as the broken glass and blood rested on the ground beneath her feet.

There was much scheming to be done.

* * *

Eliza giggled as she and Gustav headed into town, the young boy telling her more stories of his Viking adventures. They had just finished up another morning of dragon riding. Eliza had improved her skills considerably, she and Gustav having bonded and become close friends in the process. However, Gustav also had garnered a bit of an audience from the children from town, a flock of them meeting the young Viking each day to hear his stories. It was a pleasant change for Gustav, going from no one giving him a second thought and blowing him off back in Berk to being nothing short of a celebrity in Arendelle. There was no denying that he basked in the attention, but also began to see that the children weren't exactly happy that he spent a lot of time with Eliza. They would rather he spent that time showing off more tricks on his dragon, entertaining them with his display of fighting skills and tales from his village than spending his time solely on Eliza. Gustav felt torn; he had come to like Eliza, and the same could be said for her towards him, but he also liked the new friends he had made of the children in town.

He also remembered he had made a promise to Hiccup… and as he noticed, her condition had improved from their growing closeness.

Evening was setting in, and with all that had been going on and everyone's tensions had been running high, Rapunzel had an idea to put together a small festival. It would be small enough to avoid compromising security, but would hopefully still boost everyone's morale.

Once they entered the castle, Eliza went to her bedroom, opening her wardrobe to look for a nice dress to wear for that evening. As she did so, she heard a knock at the door, glancing back to see Anna in the doorway.

"May I come in?" She asked.

"… you may." Eliza replied, turning back to look through her wardrobe. Anna sighed lightly as she sat at the edge of her bed, looking over at the teenaged girl.

"Eliza… I know you're still a bit upset at all of us… but I just want you to know that we all love you… the guardians included." Anna said.

"… then why do I believe that you feel differently?" Eliza asked.

"Because there's a lot going on right now… it's hard for us to keep you, this kingdom, safe and running smoothly, and focus on your feelings. It isn't that we don't care… we do." Anna said.

Eliza turned around fully then, looking at Anna for a moment before slowly going over to sit next to her. Anna hugged her shoulders with one arm, sighing lightly.

"I want things to go back to the way they were. Olaf and Wick and I would play each afternoon. I was able to do different activities with everyone, have fun. I feel like no one pays me any attention anymore. I'm just afraid to be sent away again." Eliza said.

"None of us will ever do that. We love you here." Anna replied. "By the way… were you looking for a dress to wear? The one you have on looks nice."

Eliza made a face, looking down at the white garment she was wearing. "It's far too plain. I want something very pretty."

Anna thought for a moment, giggling then. "I think Gustav will be happy with anything you decide to wear."

Eliza gasped, whirling around then. "What do you know?"

"I know when someone likes someone else… you two have been joined at the hip lately!" Anna smiled warmly when Eliza covered her face. "There's no need to be embarrassed… it's perfectly okay to like Gustav. He's been nice to you, right?"

Eliza nodded. "I don't want anyone else to know… this is all new to me."

"I know… and don't worry about it. We're all here if you need to talk about it. Hiccup may even be able to give you some extra tips." Anna giggled lightly.

"Thank you…" She frowned lightly then. "Alice and Jack always knew the pest way to solve a problem or figure out something new…"

Anna frowned also. "Eliza… they'll be back before you know it. I'm sure they miss you very much, and the other guardians too."

"They don't." Eliza cut her off, turning a bit away from her.

Anna furrowed her brows with confusion. "How could you say that, of course they do… they probably want nothing more than to be here with you-"

"They DON'T, Anna." Eliza said a bit more forcefully, going back to her wardrobe to search through it. "I'm sorry, I need some privacy to change…"

Anna sighed lightly, nodding. "Alright… let one of us know if you need anything." She said before regretfully getting up and leaving the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Eliza exhaled slowly, glancing at the closed door sadly for a moment before returning her focus to her wardrobe. As she was searching, she accidentally knocked down one hanger, bending down to retrieve it when she grazed her hand against a box. She blinked, placing the hanger aside to take the box into her hands and open it. She gasped lightly, a smile growing in her features as she found the answer to her small dilemma.

Outside, Gustav groaned as Hiccup attempted to fix him up a bit, even giving him a more formal Viking helmet to wear. "Come on Hiccup, this is stupid! Why can't I just wear my regular clothes?"

"Because this is a festival, Gustav… everyone is making an effort to look a bit more dressed up tonight. Good thing this isn't a ball, or else you would REALLY be in a sour mood right now." Hiccup chuckled.

"What's a ball?" Gustav raised a brow.

"After our time." Hiccup replied, Jack's recurring joke having rubbed off on him as he bent down to rummage through a few things. "Are you going to meet up with Eliza?"

"Yeah… some of the other kids too. They really like me, Hiccup." Gustav said.

"I'm glad." Hiccup smiled. "Look, Gustav… I know things were rough in the beginning, and you didn't always get fair treatment on Berk… but none of meant anything malicious by it. It's tough keeping track of everything and getting things done and then concentrate on you, too."

"Yeah, yeah…" Gustav rolled his eyes. "You just couldn't see the amazing potential I had."

"Someone doesn't like to flatter themselves…" Hiccup snickered as he spoke sarcastically. "Alright, you're all set. Go out and have some fun."

"Finally!" Gustav exclaimed, heading outside.

"And stay out of trouble, or I'm sending Merida after you!" Hiccup shouted after him, smirking lightly afterwards as he watched the young boy run off. "To think I was as reckless as him once…"

As Gustav met up with some of the town children, the festival began to get underway; music sounded, people began to dance in the street, kiosks sold food and trinkets, people socialized and laughed, children played and ran through the streets. It was a clear evening too, the air cool and comfortable as stars began to dot the darkening sky. As Gustav spent time with the town children, he glanced around a bit before chuckling lowly.

"I snuck this out, so you can't let any adults see!" He said to all of them, biting his lip for a moment as he produced a small hatchet he had brought with him from home. The children's eyes widened as they gasped in awe.

"Wow, is that a real blade?" One asked.

"It's amazing! That could slice bread with one strike!" Another exclaimed.

Gustav laughed. "This could slice a lot more than just bread… here, let's go to the grassy area over there and I can try it out on a couple things to show you-"

"Gustav!"

The young Viking turned at the sound of the voice, squinting his eyes a bit before he saw someone approaching him. He did not recognize who it was at first, but when he realized who it was, his brows raised in surprise.

"Eliza?" He finally answered, the other children groaning in disappointment, some crossing their arms.

As she approached him, Gustav cleared his throat when he saw that Eliza was wearing a wine red velvet dress, matching shoes and jewelry, and her hair was in an up do with ruby colored pins. His spine stiffened, his eyes crossing to follow her fingers as she reached over to brush some hair out of his face.

"You look quite handsome tonight, Gustav." She said, smiling lightly. "Will you dance with me?"

Gustav bit his lip, nodding. "Definitely… I- I mean y- yeah, sure… you go ahead, I'll catch up with you!" When Eliza went towards the center of the courtyard, he glanced back at the other children. "Just a couple, to make her happy, okay? I'll come back afterwards." He said before dashing after Eliza. "Hey… where did you get all of this stuff? Did you borrow it?"

Eliza pondered for a moment. "It was a gift… from a friend, of sorts." She smiled, taking his hand. "Come on!" She led him to where others were dancing, giggling as she joined in step with the others. Gustav was no dancer, but he soon got the hang of it, sometimes the two even doing their own dancing. It was simply about having fun, and they got more into it as they laughed, Eliza giggling when he bumped into her at one point. After dancing through a few more songs, they decided to take a rest. They went over to the docks, sitting down and letting their legs hang over the side to look up at the stars.

"It's such a lovely night." Eliza said, breathing in the fresh air.

"Yeah…" Gustav replied, glancing over at her. "Hey, Eliza?"

"Yes?"

"… I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too." Eliza smiled. "See, Olaf is my friend also… but it's a bit different with us."

"Yeah well, I'm not a talking pile of snow for one." Gustav said, making Eliza giggle lightly. "You're pretty hard core, Eliza. You fly Fanghook really well, and… maybe one day you can ride a dragon of your own. We can dominate the skies together!" He said, hopping up and pumping his fist in the air.

"Thank you." Eliza smiled, sliding over a bit closer when Gustav sat back down. "I think you're the best Viking there is… after Hiccup of course."

"Really? I- I mean, of course I am! I'll even be BETTER than Hiccup someday!" Gustav said.

"Maybe…" Eliza looked down at her hands then, peeking at him from the corners of her eyes. "Hey, Gustav?"

"Yeah?"

"… there's another secret I need you to keep for me…" Eliza said, her voice quiet now.

Gustav raised a brow; he had to admit, the number of secrets between them already was in the dozens. It was a normal thing for them now, but somehow the way Eliza was behaving all of a sudden made him wonder if this was serious. "Sure, what is it?"

Eliza bit her lip for a moment, exhaling sharply. "Well… it's a special sort of secret… one that I can't really say."

"How am I supposed to know what it is, then?" Gustav chuckled lightly.

Eliza gulped, turning a bit more to face him. "Well… I think you should try closing your eyes. It will help."

Gustav snickered a bit, shrugging. "If you say so." He did as she asked. "I still don't see how this is going to help get the secret across, but-"

His sentence was cut short when Eliza leaned over, closing her eyes as well as she planted a small, lingering kiss on his cheek. The young Viking's eyes snapped open, widening a bit as he slowly looked over at her. Eliza smiled, a blush accenting both their cheeks as his fingertips lightly touched the spot where he had been kissed. A few moments of silence lapsed between them, Eliza finally breaking it.

"That was my first kiss." She said, smiling timidly.

In that moment, Gustav felt a swell of pride in his chest, turning a bit to face her more. "No, it wasn't."

"But of course it was, I never kissed a boy before until now." She said.

"Yeah, but that was just a cheek kiss. This is a real kiss." Gustav said, leaning in to plant his own small, but equally lingering kiss on her lips. When he broke it, Eliza felt her heart pounding in her chest, her smile widening until she was beaming. She giggled, hugging him close, Gustav hugging her back as he smiled gently. She leaned back after a few minutes to look at him, the moonlight casting a gentle glow upon them both. Her hands took his to hold, tilting her head up to kiss him a second time when their moment was abruptly halted.

"Eww! Is she trying to kiss him?" One child shouted, the small group of town children approaching the docks with a lantern.

"That's gross! I thought Vikings were tough, not all mushy and gushy!" Another shouted.

Eliza gasped lightly, jumping to her feet and marching over to them. "You don't belong here, this is private!"

"Just because you live in the castle doesn't mean you own Arendelle, Eliza!" One of the children responded. "Gustav is supposed to be showing us all this cool stuff and you keep hogging him up!"

"He and I are in love! Go find your own Viking!" Eliza shouted.

"I thought you were cool, Gustav!" Another child groaned. "Tonight was supposed to be exciting, with all your weapons and amazing dragon tricks!"

Gustav's heart skipped a beat, hopping to his feet. "W- Wait! I can still show you guys all of that! We're friends, right?"

"Well yeah, but how are you going to do all of that when you're 'in loooove…?'" The first child asked, the other children joining him in snickering.

One thing that Gustav did not appreciate was anyone taking a blow at his pride. He inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest as much as he could muster as he stood a bit taller. "I'm not in love; I don't know what you're talking about!"

As Eliza stopped what she was doing, furrowing her brows at him, the first child scoffed. "You must be, we saw you kissing her!"

"N- No, she was trying to kiss me… I… I don't want anything to do with it!" Gustav shouted, a tad bit unconvincingly.

"Gustav…" Eliza's voice cracked, tugging lightly on his arm. "Why are you lying to them? You gave me my first kiss…"

Gustav bit his lip, frowning as he glanced from the other children to her. "I think you should go home, Eliza… please."

"Yeah, go home!" One of the other children shouted as Gustav pried his hand away from hers regretfully.

Eliza's bottom lip began to tremble, staggering back before breaking into a run off the dock. Gustav winced lightly as he heard her sobbing in the distance, his heart sinking. Even as the other children praised him and pat his back, leading him to the spot they were going to meet up, it only made him feel worse. He realized he had made a mistake, but figured there would be nothing he could do at that moment to remedy it.

* * *

 **Oh dear... children can be so mean sometimes! Will this spell trouble for Gustav? Also, now that the Queen knows the truth about Emily, how will she proceed? More to come soon in future chapters, so please stay tuned! Thank you so much for reading, and please leave a nice review with your thoughts!**


	25. Love Stirring Trouble

**Good evening, readers! Last we left off, Gustav unwillingly broke Eliza's heart. Can he make it up to her? Read on and find out! Please enjoy as always!**

* * *

Meanwhile, Eliza shoved through anyone who was in her way, finally reaching the castle as she flew through the door. She ran inside, bounding up the stairs and nearly tripping over herself. As she made her way to her bedroom, she flung herself onto her mattress, clawing at her bed sheets until she grabbed her pillow, hugging it to her as she sobbed heavily. After a few minutes of being undisturbed, she heard someone approaching, not acknowledging them until they called her name.

"Eliza? Why are you crying?"

The young girl turned, wiping her eyes upon seeing Olaf. He approached her bedside, grunting a bit as he struggled for a moment to pull himself up.

"What does it matter?" Eliza asked. "You never see me anymore anyhow."

Olaf frowned. "I'm sorry… I've really missed you, Eliza. I've been pretty busy…"

Just then, she heard sounds from down the hallway, Merida shouting in her deep accent as Hiccup appeared in the doorway with her, who had dragged Gustav with her. Anna and Rapunzel had been too busy hosting the festival to come with them. The young Viking howled with pain as she pinched his arm.

"You're going to apologize for whatever you did, laddie, before I feed ye to your dragon head first!" Merida shouted.

Gustav hissed, rubbing his arm as Eliza hopped off her bed, Olaf following her lead. "L- Look Eliza, you know I didn't mean what I said back there… I really like you, and-"

Everyone gasped in shock when Eliza stormed up to him, her expression darkening as she shoved him away from her. "Get out of my bedroom! All of you!"

Hiccup held up his hands. "A- Alright, hang on now Eliza, whatever he did, he's just here to apologize-"

"No! Everything had been fine between us… everything had been alright until you told Gustav to try to make friends in town!" She shouted, pointing at Hiccup. "Now I mean nothing!"

"E- Eliza, that's ridiculous! If I had any idea that they were pushing him around like that, I would have put all of this to an end sooner! And speaking of which, the two of you are going to be sticking just around the castle because I know about your little trips with Fanghook! Don't you realize how dangerous that is, how you could have gotten hurt?!" Hiccup shouted.

Eliza's eyes widened, slowly looking at Gustav. "You told him…? Our secret…?" She asked barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry… Eliza, I didn't have a choice-" Gustav tried to apologize.

Eliza's breathing became shaky, her expression darkening considerably. "Which one of you did it?"

"Alright lass… you've had a rough night, let's just get you to bed so you can sleep it off." Merida said, about to go over to her when Eliza stormed over to her wardrobe, taking out the red clover scepter, holding it out towards Merida. "Lass, you'd better calm down right now-"

"Which one of you did it?! Which one of you turned my friends against me?!" Eliza screamed.

"But Eliza, I'm still your friend…" Olaf interjected.

"No you aren't! They keep you away from me on purpose!" She screamed, her breathing quickening. "She was right! Alice has influence over you all!"

Hiccup took a step closer, ushering Olaf behind him. "Eliza, what are you- please just put the stick down and talk to us-"

"No! NO! You're driving me insane, just like she wants, so you can send me away again! She knows I have potential for great power, so she is trying to subdue me, just like she said!" Eliza shrieked.

"For the love of blarney, she's gone mad!" Merida shouted.

"Eliza, who is this 'she' you keep referring to? Who have you been talking to? Alice loves you, we all love you!" Hiccup cried.

"Stop lying to me! I didn't want to believe it, I never would have believed it, but everything she said is true, I see it now!" Eliza shouted, shoving past all of them to storm down the hallway.

"Hiccup, Eliza isn't acting like herself…" Olaf said worriedly.

"That's for sure… come on Merida, we have to get her back here. We're getting to the bottom of this." Hiccup said.

"No… this is all my fault." Gustav said, starting to jog after her.

"Gustav, wait!" Hiccup shouted after him.

The young Viking didn't listen, catching up to Eliza to grab her hand. As she struggled against him, he turned her to face him. "Eliza, I know you don't believe me, but I really didn't mean what I said! I've never had a friend like you, I like spending time with you, I lo-"

Eliza gritted her teeth, rearing her other hand back to slap the boy hard across his face. He gasped lightly, staggering back as she looked upon him with loathing. She took in deep breaths, bending down to pick up her scepter.

"… I hate you." She said with such venom, turning on her heel to walk down to the room at the end of the hall. She slammed the door behind her, locking it before going up to the drawer where the snow globes were kept.

When she saw there were none left upon opening it, she gasped, furrowing her brows in a panic.

She searched frantically through each drawer, gulping as each turned up empty. She heard Hiccup and Merida on the other side of the door, ignoring them as they shouted for her to open it. Eliza then caught the glimpse of something in a corner, gasping as she fell to her knees to move a few stray things aside to retrieve it. She dusted the snow globe off, nodding to herself as she gave the door one last glance.

"Eliza, please open the door! We hate to see you like this, lass!" Merida pleaded.

The young girl would not answer her plea, however, turning back slowly to look upon the snow globe as she held it up.

"Take me to the Queen."

* * *

It was late morning, Elsa and Vanellope returning to their respective shelters from their sleepover, having enjoyed each other's company. As Elsa approached, she stopped when she noticed Pitch standing perfectly still, his fists clenched. She blinked, her eyes following his when she saw they came to rest on Jack. Raising a quizzical brow, she glanced up at him.

"Pitch? Did you and Jack have a fight?" Elsa asked.

"No… but we very well may soon enough." Pitch replied through his teeth, clenching his fists tighter when Emily approached the ice guardian, moving from behind to sit down beside him. Pitch saw Jack regard her politely, before Emily engaged him in conversation. When Jack laughed at something she said, Emily chuckling lightly, Pitch's eye twitched angrily.

"Pitch… she's just trying to open up to everyone… this is the first time she's actually making friends, just let her socialize." Elsa smiled.

"No, my dear, you don't understand." Pitch finally broke his gaze to look over at her. "She admitted to me, just last night, that she has feelings of infatuation towards him."

Elsa blinked at this. "Infatuation? But… Jack and Alice are…"

"Trust me, Elsa… when my daughter has something… or in this case, someone, in her sights… nothing will stop her from getting it." Pitch said. "In this case, I may have to make an exception."

Pitch was not the only one observing the two closely. Some distance behind where Jack and Emily were sitting, Alice had stopped dead in her tracks, narrowing her eyes warily. When she noticed Emily was being a bit too friendly for her comfort, placing a hand on Jack's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze, she finally began to understand how on Earth it didn't bother him more when he learned she had kissed Bunny. When Emily finally rose to her feet, giving Jack one last fascinated glance before going on her way. Alice's eyes followed her, and not long after, her feet did as well.

As soon as Jack was left to himself, despite Elsa's protesting, Pitch marched over to the ice guardian. Jack, totally not expecting this, cried out in surprise when he was suddenly hoisted up by the Nightmare King, his back colliding against the nearest tree as he was pinned. He grunted, glancing up at Pitch's eyes burned angrily into his.

"Pitch, are you out of your mind?!" Jack shouted. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know… thought you could get back at me, did you? Thought you could make me pay for all of the turmoil I caused you in the past, nearly kidnapping your sister, all of the lies… thought you could pay me back for attempting to seduce my daughter with those pretty boy eyes, did you not?!" Pitch hissed.

"W- Wait, WHAT?! Okay, you have…" Jack began to laugh, despite the situation he was in. "… you have officially gone insane, Pitch."

"Have I? That's why Emily has been behaving the way she has around you, am I correct?" Pitch spat.

"What- you mean when we were talking just NOW?" Jack snickered. "Pitch, we were just having a conversation! If you think that's all it takes to lead to some 'romantic scandal,' then anyone looking at us right now must think we're going to be smooching for our lives in about three seconds."

Pitch growled, tightening his grip on Jack's collar. "Make another crack like that and you will surely regret it, Frost." He said through clenched teeth. "Mark my words… tread carefully about my daughter… for if you make the wrong move concerning her, you shall suffer me." He finally released his grip, straightening himself up as he turned to walk away briskly.

Jack blinked in confusion, shaking his head as he glanced over at Elsa, both wearing the same bewildered expression.

Meanwhile, Alice was standing a short distance behind Emily, who was bent down to tend to her flora. The forest nymph's ears flickered, smirking lightly to herself as she silently acknowledged Alice's presence.

"If you have something you wish to discuss with me, then by all means, do not hesitate." Emily said finally.

Alice inhaled sharply, standing a bit straighter. "Very well." She responded, taking a step closer. "I'll be blunt. What do you think you are doing?"

Emily chuckled to herself, rising to her feet and turning to look at Alice from a sideways stance. "I haven't the slightest idea what you mean, Alice."

"Don't play dumb, Emily… it isn't becoming of you." Alice responded, crossing her arms. "You know well enough to know that whatever game you're playing, that Jack is no participant."

"Oh?" Emily raised a brow, floating closer to Alice. "And you think you have any right to tell me this in my domain?"

"I do. This may be your domain, but Jack is my partner. I appreciate if you remember that." Alice said.

"Ah… you are quite the keen-sighted one, Alice. However… you must have forgotten whom exactly you are talking to." Emily said.

"No, I haven't. Unlike the others, however, I am simply not intimidated by you." Alice said confidently.

"That is very fearless of you… or very foolish. You believe you are wise beyond your years? Tell me, what do you possess to support your sentiment?" Emily asked.

"I possess a vast number of weaponry for one, and I'm a surgeon with each of them. Secondly, I was chosen to be a guardian, and before that, I possessed greater mental capabilities than the average Englishman." Alice replied.

"So tell me then, what makes you a guardian?" Emily asked.

"Insight. I have the ability to see manifestations of the aspects of people's minds, or the manifestation of someone's true character." Alice said.

"That is all very well... but could the children you assist do the same?" Emily asked.

Alice blinked. "Well, of course not."

Emily burst into laughter then. "You believe you have right to judge and advise others when you are blind even to yourself!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alice hissed.

"North was chosen to be a guardian because of his wonder; and so he evokes that quality in children. The same goes for the others; for Toothiana, it is memory recollection, for Sandy, to dream, for Bunnuymund it is hope and for Jack it is fun. For you, you do not have the ability to translate the quality you claim upon children, so you still do not even know what it takes to be a guardian!" Emily mocked, smirking when Alice's expression fell. "I am not even a guardian myself, and I know this simple fact. I shall do as I please without your opinion voiced. If I so choose to pursue Jack Frost, then neither you nor anyone else shall-"

Emily stopped when she heard rustling nearby then, glancing over and stiffening when she saw Bunny rummaging lightly through some of her low lying plants. She was reduced to silence, her eyes wide as she stood perfectly still. Alice became alert, looking from her to Bunny. About to prove her claim of her mastery of insight true, something suddenly clicked in her mind, briefly recalling past observations as it was now her turn to smirk.

"I understand everything now..." Alice said. "... you haven't the slightest interest in Jack, do you? You're planting a red herring."

Emily shot Alice a look, furrowing her brows. "You know nothing of my heart, Alice Liddell!"

"Will you calm down? You think I cannot piece together this picture? I can see now that you feel strongly for him. You could have told me this sooner, or else I may have not been so cross with you." Alice said.

"If I must fool one, I must fool all." Emily said, mentally cursing Alice's sharp mind.

"That one wouldn't happen to be your father, would it?" Emily's lack of response confirmed her suspicion. "Look... I know the animosity between those two. I understand that this is a cause for concern if in fact you have grown to love Bunny-"

"I will speak no more of this, for none offer me trust enough to confide in them." Emily said, aboit to turn away when Alice stopped her.

"If anyone knows about wariness of others it is I. After trusting my life with a man who turned out to be responsible for my family's demise, one's sense of trust cannot be any more crippled than by that conclusion. I will not speak a word of this to anyone... but Emily, remember that you are free to love whom you wish. Pitch may be smug at his best of times, but his reaction should not hinder you from what your heart desires." Alice said.

Emily's expression softened then, seeing the genuineness in Alice's words. "I do not yet know if what I feel for him is love... but I cannot deny that a seed has been planted. Its growth has already begun. My father intends to shrivel up this seed of feeling before it comes to that point." She sighed. "I apologize for my deception. You are truly noble for your cause, Alice... but as I said, I must try to fool all."

Alice nodded, accepting the apology. "Unfortunately for you, I am no fool." She smirked. "Besides, as much as I care for Bunny, it's been nice with you keeping him off my back lately."

"He still retains deep feelings for you." Emily replied.

"And he knows well enough that some of them, I simply cannot reciprocate." Alice said.

"Jack Frost possesses a noble heart. He shall always remain faithful to you. I truly hope the love between you never changes." Emily said, nodding lightly before turning to take her leave. Alice raised a brow, smirking lightly as she shook her head, thinking upon what had just transpired.

Bunny bit his lip, rustling through some of Emily's bushes and other low lying plants. He then stood up, smiling proudly as he dusted off his hands. "Well, Bunny, she is going to your little googies."

"I beg your pardon?"

Bunny whirled around in surprise, holding a hand over his heart. "Jeez, I didn't even hear you! Sneaking up on me..."

"Said by the one acting suspiciously." Emily raised a brow. She glanced behind her for a moment, her eyes scanning the ground when she noticed something. She knelt down, moving aside some of her bush branches to take an egg into her hands, rising to hold it out, raising a questioning brow.

"Heh heh... they were supposed to be surprises... you know..." Bunny rubbed the back of his neck.

Emily regarded the object, smirking amusingly. She glanced at Bunny, waving her hand so that the egg turned into a beautiful dove. She gently kissed its head, Bunny smiling as she raised her hand up, the beautiful creature taking to flight into the trees.

"I appreciate the... little gifts." Emily said.

"You uh... want to take a walk?" Bunny asked.

Emily cleared her throat, exhaling sharply. She got an idea then, nodding. "Yes... I want to show you something. Come." She turned, Bunny following her deeper into the forest.

Back at camp, Elsa sighed as Pitch went off on his own to let off some steam. She turned when she heard someone approaching, biting her lip a bit when she saw it was Ralph.

"Morning, Elsa. Say, I had an idea last night after our little talk... remember when I accidentally broke your little ice fortress? I was thinking I could get some good fighting practice in if you made some super tough ice targets! Also, um... the last time I knocked down a tree, I thought Emily was going to give me a 'game over...' man, she's pretty scary when she's angry." Ralph said.

Elsa blinked, actually liking this idea. "I would be more than happy to help you, Ralph. As a matter of fact, it will help me to keep sharp as well."

They went to an area where there was a bit of a clearing, Elsa concentrating as she made a vertical sheet of ice. After taking a step back, she motioned for Ralph to give it a try. He nodded, cracking his knuckles before sending his fist forward. The entire sheet broke, Elsa holding her hands up to shield herself from debris.

"Level one: Complete." Ralph said, chuckling lightly as he wiped some ice fragments on his overalls.

Elsa chuckled lightly, extending her hands to make a sturdier, thicker ice wall. "You're certainly not someone I would want to take on, that's for sure…" She remarked.

"Nah… I would never hurt you, Elsa." He smiled. "Stand back…" He reared his fist back, grunting as he sent his fist into the ice wall. He did so a second time, completely demolishing it. "Level two: Complete." Ralph said proudly as he cracked his knuckles. As he watched Elsa making a third wall, he coughed lightly into his hand. "So, um… last night… before Vanellope came, you were about to say something to me. What was it?" He asked.

Elsa hesitated for a moment, dread coming over her in a wave as that moment resurfaced in her mind. She dared to glance up, instantly regretting it when she saw Ralph wearing a shy, sweet expression.

In the last several weeks, they had all- perhaps with the exception of Pitch and Emily- come to know Ralph as the very opposite of his stereotyped label back in the arcade. Could he be destructive? Absolutely; but he tried to use his strength to help others, not to harm. The truth was, he had a heart as big as his fists, having become a quick friend to the group. Like Elsa, he had spent most of his days in isolation, and was learning to experience the life of the world as she was. Never before had he had the chance to do something on this large a scale; never had he explored the world outside of his own.

Never before had he known what love was.

He had started to in his friendship with Vanellope; the bond they shared was built on understanding, empathy, and lightheartedness. Elsa realized that Ralph was beginning to discover another form of love, a love he felt for her in the pursuit for his other half. Her heart sunk… as much as she wanted to provide him this other half, as much as she wanted him to be happy, she knew deep down that she had promised herself to another.

Ralph and Pitch were very different, there was no doubting that. Each had their own faults and their own strengths, and Elsa felt that she had come to make a very deep connection with the Nightmare King; one she had no regrets for and was not willing to simply throw away. She felt it was wrong to allow Ralph to continue to hope for something she simply could not provide… she finally understood what Alice had been enduring in her similar dilemma.

She finally finished the third wall, going around it to stand on the same side as Ralph. Elsa exhaled slowly, gently placing her hands on his large one. Ralph's heart skipped a beat, cracking a nervous smile.

"Ralph… I was about to tell you how I feel towards you when Vanellope stepped in." Elsa stated.

"R- Really? Man, of course she would do that, right at the moment of suspense, huh?" Ralph chuckled nervously.

"I think that you are incredibly kind despite your toils… and how others have treated you… you're certainly warmer than I." Elsa said.

"Well, no pun intended, right?" Ralph snickered a bit.

Elsa giggled lightly, clearing her throat as seriousness returned to her. "You possess many amiable qualities… you're noble, humble, considerate and… you have a good heart." She exhaled slowly then, glancing to the side. "I hope that we can always remain close friends, even after this perilous journey ends."

"Y- Yeah, me too…" Ralph rubbed the back of his neck. "… but Elsa… I was thinking, um… you know, I think you're really great too… you're um… you know, with the proper royal stuff, and- ugh, I'm so bad at this…"

"Ralph." Elsa spoke calmly, patting his hand lightly as she looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry… I cannot give you what you seek."

Ralph blinked, a bit confused by her sudden statement as he tilted his head. "Huh?"

"I know… from what you told me, that you've come to develop very deep feelings for me. And… as much as I appreciate them… it's something I cannot give back in return." Elsa frowned, closing her eyes as she hugged her arms a bit.

Ralph finally understood what Elsa was saying then, frowning as well. He could feel his heart sinking. "It's because of Pitch, isn't it?"

Elsa sighed lightly. "Ralph… you deserve all the happiness in the world, and… I do hope that you find someone who is willing to gladly provide it to you. You will someday understand that… when you love someone in this manner… that no one else can change that; otherwise, it isn't truly there between you."

Ralph pursed his lips, trying to process her words. "I guess I can understand that… kind of like when Mario and Luigi are both trying to save Princess Peach, and once one of them gets to her first, that's it, better luck next time for the one who gets there second."

Elsa blinked, smiling nervously as she attempted to understand what in the heck Ralph was referring to, but also glad he seemed to get what she was telling him. "Yes, like… like that." She nodded.

Ralph heaved a sigh, smiling sadly when he noticed the regret in Elsa's features. "Hey…" He nudged her gently. "… don't worry about me. I'm a tough guy, I can take anything you throw at me." He opened his arms, Elsa giggling lightly as she approached him for a hug. She wasn't sure where to quite place her arms being he was far wider compared to her, but they equally appreciated the gesture nonetheless. When they parted, Ralph cracked his fingers once more. "Speaking of throwing things at me, let's see how many fist poundings it takes to totally destroy this wall!"

Elsa sighed lightly as she watched him, admiring his spirit and his positivity. Though she loved Pitch, it was one thing of Ralph that she wished he had.

Jack scoffed to himself, shaking his head a bit as he was still trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened with Pitch. He felt someone tap his arm then, glancing over to see Sandy tilt his head quizzically, motioning towards where Pitch had gone and holding his hands out to him.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Sandy." Jack said. "Something about being careful around Emily, and thinking I'm like… seducing her or… I don't know…"

Sandy blinked for a moment before inaudibly snickering, bursting into a fit of silent laughter.

"My thoughts exactly. I think Pitch has been in the woods for too long…" Jack said, turning when Alice approached them. She stopped for a moment, having heard the tail end of their short conversation.

"Sandy… any luck with trying to pry into the Queen's mind?" Alice asked.

The dream guardian huffed inaudibly, shaking his head regretfully.

Alice hissed, shutting her eyes tightly. "We cannot just wait around here any longer… she's going to do something catastrophic, I know it."

"But Alice, if we just go in there like we did last time without a plan, we'll end up with half of us in a body cast like last time!" Jack frowned.

"We did not know the full extent of her forces last time, we do now! We've spent far too much time here; ever heard of the phrase 'familiarity breeds contempt?' Look at us! Bickering over petty drama instead of focusing on what's truly important! While we are all here idling, the Queen is gaining momentum, power! Her sins must be put to en end; she must face her due justice!" Alice cried.

Jack sighed, placing a hand on Alice's shoulder. "I want that too. But… it's going to be tough with this bunch, Alice. It's not… it's not as much of a united front as it was with Merida and Hiccup last time."

Alice nodded. "That is no lie." She looked up at Jack and Sandy. "I think I need to whip everyone back into shape."

"Well, we know you're good at that." Jack chuckled, making Alice smirk lightly.

"We cannot hide in these trees forever. With or without Emily's assistance, we must press forward. If she still feels indifference, than that isn't our problem." Alice said.

"Sandy, you and Emily are best friends. Why can't you convince her to help us?" Jack asked.

The dream guardian bit his lip, exhaling lightly. He instead glanced over at Alice, telecommunicating with her.

Alice nodded slowly. "He says… that he asked her once to help him in the past… and it was in that time that all her past animosity with Pitch surfaced… and for that, she almost harmed… who is Catherine?" She raised a brow.

"She's the storyteller. Not exactly a guardian… but a magical being like they are. Some call her Mother Goose." Jack replied.

Alice nodded in understanding, returning her focus to Sandy. "He said he regretted allowing this to happen. He says… Emily is more fragile than she seems. He fears for her safety."

"Well, we're kind of in a bind here, Sandy… give us a break, huh?" Jack replied.

Sandy shot Jack a look, before furrowing his brows lightly. The winter guardian had a point, they couldn't just dismiss possible options to help their cause, despite whether he thought Emily's safety was at risk or not. He glanced up, nodding to Alice then.

"He said he will speak to her this evening. Hopefully this will work, or else we will just have to fend for ourselves." Alice said. "I'm going to speak to the others. Three days more and we shall return to the mountain to battle again."

As Alice walked past them, Jack raised a brow at Sandy. "So… what does your voice sound like in Alice's head?" Sandy replied by waving his hand and rolling his eyes at him, getting the idea past that Jack would not understand the mechanics of their communication.

* * *

 **Well, a lot of feuding certainly happened in this chapter, and not all of it ended on a good note! What does Eliza plan on doing once she sees the Queen? Will Pitch discover Emily's true feelings? Will Jack perish in the meantime? All the answers will be revealed in future chapters, so please stay tuned! Leave a review with your thoughts in the meantime if you would be so kind! Thanks for reading, see you next time!**


	26. Opposing Forces Engaging

**Good afternoon, readers! I apologize if the breaking of these chapters is a bit abrupt or oddly placed, but with some portions being longer than others (I don't want to make chapters TOO long, keep them closer to 5K words) so sometimes I am forced to split a scene between several chapters. The benefit is keeping you all hanging just a little, keeping you on your toes! Anyhow, here is a brand new chapter, so please relax and enjoy!**

* * *

Meanwhile, Bunny cleared his throat as he and Emily waded through the woods, moving into a deeper part of the forest where the trees seemed to stand a bit taller, a thick fog hanging about the air and giving the atmosphere a bit more of an ominous feel to it.

"So…" Bunny started, breaking the heavy silence. "… where are we going, exactly?"

"You shall see when we arrive." Emily replied.

"Okay…" Bunny glanced back behind him. "You're not, uh… taking me out here to strand me or anything, are you?"

Emily stopped, turning around to glance back at him with a brow raised. "Bunnymund, you should know well enough by now that if I wanted to kill you, I would not place this much effort into doing so."

"Oh…" Bunny chuckled nervously, scratching behind his ear. "… thought it would be good to just check, am I right?"

Emily turned fully then, taking a step closer to him. "Bunnymund, what do you know of me?" Bunny blinked, tilting his head a bit. "Speak honestly. How do you envision me?"

"Well, um… I know about your past with Pitch and all, and your mom… and I know about how you sort of helped us in the battle of Punjam Hy Loo a long while back… you can be quite unpredictable… and you don't always do the right thing…" He winced then. "… please don't kill me, was just answering your question."

Emily raised her head a bit, maintaining her serious expression. "Why do you fear me, Bunnymund?"

"Fear you? I don't exactly fear you, it's just-"

"You do. Look at your body language. You are nearly cowering in this moment, all because I have asked a simple question." Emily took a step closer. "Bunnymund… I know I have acted in a way to evoke such a reaction in others… however, in this time we have all spent together, how I have seen my father… I no longer want all to fear me." Bunny blinked at that statement, straightening up a bit. "I think part of the reason why you fear me is because you truly do not know me. One does naturally fear the unknown, after all."

"I guess that makes sense…" Bunny answered.

"This is why I am asking you to follow me. I shall reveal to you a part of me that no other has ever seen." Emily said, turning to continue forward.

"Woah, wait, not even Sandy has seen this?" Bunny asked, smirking when she shook her head. "Boy, am I going to rub this in his face when I- okay, okay, I'm canning it!" He exclaimed, holding his hands up when Emily shot a look back at him.

After some time, they approached a thick wall of plants, smiling lightly as she closed her eyes.

"O faithful and vigilant sprigs of the Earth, part now to allow me safe passage."

Bunny blinked a bit as the thick vegetation slowly receded enough to create an opening, slowly following Emily past it. Just on the other side was water, rocks rising from the bottom to create a path forward. As he traveled upon them, he felt a potent, magical aura within this space. The large enclosure was made so with large stones when they traveled further in, each large stone containing its own intricate carving. Small islands bloomed with cherry blossom trees and other beautiful plant life, fish swimming in the water around his feet. At the end of the stepping stone path, Bunny's eyes widened a bit as they reached the end of the stream… or perhaps the beginning; a beautiful waterfall, like large steps placed so that the water cascaded down into the crystal clear pool below. As he stared at it in awe, Emily smiled lightly, turning her gaze to just ahead of them. She floated over, her feet touching down upon the soft grass as something emerged from behind a Weeping Willow. A large Elk looked upon Emily, approaching her as she held out her arms, embracing the creature gently. She pet its head, closing her eyes as she rested her head against his for a brief moment, glancing back when Bunny approached.

"This is the herald of life and new growth… my valiant mount. When it is time for the winter to retreat, he calls upon me to wake." She said to Bunny as she continued to gently pet the Elk's head. "He helped to restore me after the first great battle with the Phoenix… he is my most loyal and precious servant."

Bunny glanced around once more, clearing his throat when Emily turned to face him. "I had no idea… this is… beautiful, Em. Y- You've got everyone thinking you live in some dark and creepy forest, when… I mean, why don't we just stay here?"

"Because this place, like my heart… is sacred, and vulnerable. There are very few I allow into this place… I do not do so without careful consideration." Emily said, holding a flower in her hand to gaze upon it. "But Bunnymund… there are still many stones not taken." She waved her hand towards the stepping stones before looking upon him. "In this short time… I feel we have learned more of each other than in a thousand years… perhaps it is fate's doing that we have come to meet here… but fate merely guides us. We must decide for ourselves what path to take." She took a step back then. "You know the way now… and only you may be granted to pass it."

Bunny sighed lightly. "Em… I don't understand what this all means-"

"The heart knows what it wants." Emily interrupted. "I sense a stirring within your party. A great urge to take up the blade and fight again. It will not be easy, or swift. I cannot see farther beyond that." Emily took a step closer, her gaze unwavering. "You know I am slow to trust, Bunnymund. I have shown you the treasure I hold dear. If you wish to meet me at the crossroads… tonight is the chosen time. You shall know where to find me."

As Emily guided him back to the start of this hidden, secret place, Bunny knew then he was leaving in a different state than how he had entered. It was very rare that he was reduced to silence, but it was not just the exotic flora, the lush grass, and the breathtaking waterfall cascading into the crystal waters below that rendered him speechless.

In her own way, under the surface of her words… Emily had told him that she was ready to give her heart to him.

Him? Why him? Before this, he speculated as to whether or not Emily even HAD a heart. A terrible thing to think now, he realized, he underestimated her ability to be warm and open. But why now? What exactly had she seen in him? When had the barriers between them disappeared, exactly? Had she always been this way, slowly revealing herself, or had she truly changed within herself?

Ah, it was all a part of her unpredictability, something Bunny always knew she had.

Perhaps the answer to her choices would reveal itself in time… but confusion and self-questioning swam in his mind like the beautifully colored fish within the stream of the stepping stones as they left this magical piece of paradise behind.

* * *

The Queen groaned, sitting up a bit as she smoothed her dress down with her hands. She glanced over, raising her brow as she watched upon Turbo beside her, still curled up and sleeping.

She remembered going to him the prior evening after her discovery with the severed vine, disclosing this information to him. She didn't know why she had chosen him in particular to get this off of her chest, but he somehow had seen the discomfort in her expression, offering his quirky pep talk as a response. Perhaps it was because, despite how obnoxious he could be to her, she admired the fact that he kept her on her toes. He may not have been exactly smarter than her, in many respects, there was still much she could learn from him, something she had not expected in the beginning. He challenged her authority. He kept her heart beating with anticipation of what was to come, not dull it with the same lackluster, simplistic behaviors.

A part of her still longed for Pitch. It was not love; love was something the Queen did not act upon, for she did not truly know what it was. It was more of a desire, giving to chase, a cat and mouse game where the reward was always just out of her reach.

One thing had led to another, and they were both in over their heads. It was not love that they made that night, it was primal, it was animal, it was an instinctual need to release the tension within them. Now, the Queen was not sure who was chasing who, exactly… but she knew that the night before, they had each been caught in the snare of the other.

They would let each other go for now; allow some space between them to resume the chase. She knew at this point, Pitch was too far ahead for her to come within his grasp. Within the sanctuary of the forest, he was too beyond her reach.

For this, spite for him grew within her for the Nightmare King.

It had lessened in respect to herself, but she still felt she deserved payment for ever daring to question her own adequacy. She knew that the loss of Elsa or his daughter would be a crippling blow to him. The Queen knew for sure she wanted Elsa eliminated, but the daughter… she knew nothing of her, how to act in regards to her that would result in the most benefit. She heard a stirring beside her then, glancing over at Turbo once again as he sat up, stretching his arms and yawning loudly. She rolled her eyes at this, her dress rustling a bit as she moved to stand up.

"Hey… where're you going so soon? Stay a while and chill." Turbo mumbled sleepily.

"There is work to be done." The Queen adjusted herself, dusting herself off as she walked over to her supplies. "You and I both have idled for too long, we still have adversaries to destroy."

Turbo groaned, rubbing his face as he stretched out his back. "Didn't I tell you that you need to learn to just relax?" He jumped a bit when his cybugs suddenly emerged from their hiding places, chirping, clicking and trying to cling to him in a snuggle. "Oh, come ooooon! Can't you little things live without me for one night?!"

The Queen was silently thankful that the cybugs distracted the cybrid; as much as she appreciated the stress reliever he had helped to provide to her the previous night, what would relieve her more would be to witness the death of those she despised most. Her blood hunger slowly returned, a renewed vigor driving her to plan and prepare once more with an air of confidence.

Before she could think any further, she glanced up as she heard footsteps approaching. She stood up a bit straighter as Hans walked up to her, bowing his head lightly.

"Your highness, there is someone here to see you. She had come to us last night but she was extremely fatigued from distress… she was kept under strict watch by Maharaja's soldiers." Hans said.

The Queen narrowed her eyes warily, having a suspicion of who it was, having forgotten about her little nightly ritual. "Ah, yes… take me to her." Hans nodded, the Queen following him to where the visitor was being kept. "I must also mention… you did very well with the discovery of the vine. My observations resulted in some very important discoveries. You shall be rewarded greatly for your efforts."

Hans briefly nodded to her, smiling confidently. "I will do what I can to assist you." He said, pride swelling inside of him. Whatever he had to do, he would do it to make sure that at the end of all this, he would come out on top.

When they reached Maharaja's area, the Queen tilted her head when inside one of the small huts, guarded by several of his minions. Eliza sat inside, crying lightly. She waved her hand, dismissing the minions and entering the small hut.

"Eliza, my dear… I am so sorry I was unable to meet you last night. I do hope you can forgive me." The Queen said. "Fear not, our terms still stand."

Eliza shook her head, wiping her eyes. "It isn't that… you were right… about everything… they've all turned against me, they all want to harm me."

The Queen's eyes widened… she had expected Eliza to be the one awaiting her, but she never expected this to be her message to bear. Sitting up a bit straighter, her intrigue peaked. "What do you mean, my dear?"

"The boy I had affections for… he's forsaken me. They want to keep me locked away… they see me as nothing but a burden, just like mother and father had… I didn't want them to send me away, I don't want to be alone again, I don't want my mind to be twisted again!" Eliza cried. "I don't know who to believe anymore! Please… ease my torment…"

The Queen slowly smirked darkly, softening her expression after a few moments to hold her arms out. "Oh, dear child… that's awful… how could they ever treat you in such a manner? Come, I shall comfort you."

Eliza whimpered lightly, wiping her eyes as she slowly walked over, allowing herself to be hugged lightly by the Queen. "You may find solace here… none shall harm you here. Poor dear… how distressed you must be. Come, I shall provide a comfortable space for you."

The Queen led Eliza deeper into the mountain, waving her hand so that a large curtained bed, furniture, and a small table with all sorts of sweets appeared. Eliza widened her eyes a bit, stepping forward to look at everything. As she did so, the Queen quietly called Hans over, whispering lightly to him. Hans nodded to her, the two approaching her.

"Thank you for all of this…" Eliza spoke quietly. "… when shall I try to write again?"

The Queen tilted her head, ushering Hans forward. "What a remarkable child… after all that Alice has done to afflict you, you still remain loyal to her. If only I had such a person in my life. Hans here shall assist you with anything you need."

"Well…" Eliza glanced to the side. "… she still took care of me for years…"

"Past care does not excuse present abuse. You may do what you wish, but you must remember who has provided for you in your worst times." The Queen said. "The decision is yours… to show that I am willing to extend my trust to you before asking for yours in return. Speak the words, and I shall end this war. I shall dismiss all my forces, and allow Alice to live in peace." She ignored Hans shooting her a surprised look. "I leave the choice entirely to you, I shall obey what you decide."

Eliza cleared her throat. "W- Well, I think-"

"Shh… do not be so hasty. Allow time for rationality to become clear to you." The Queen waved her hand, opening it to produce a tart. "Have this. It shall help you as you proceed with your consideration." She smiled darkly as Eliza took the small pastry. "We shall leave you to your own, you may seek us out once you have made up your mind." The Queen said, Hans following her as she took her leave.

"Your grace, you are leaving the fate of this war in the hands of a child who has not even sworn loyalty to you?" Hans asked.

"Do you not remember when you consumed one of my tarts when I sought you out in the Southern Isles, Hans?" The Queen asked. "These are no ordinary pastries. They act upon the hatred and resentment in one's heart… it provides them with a means to act upon that hatred. It exaggerates that and envelops the heart in it. For you, you are grown; you still have some control over its effects to a degree because your mind is fully formed. But for a child… all it takes is a small mental scar… a pinch of that hatred and resentment, just enough to completely consume her. Her indecisiveness shall be whisked away, and one bite of that tart shall allow corruption to be inevitable. The control in her life and over her misery that she so desires shall be translated into tangible form with her mental transformation." The Queen chuckled darkly, Hans raising his brows as he was more than impressed with the Queen's move. "I said previously that she is the key to our progression in this conflict… and now, the key shall finally be ours to hold."

Back in Eliza's space, about half of the tart lay on the floor, Eliza curled up in a fetal position not far from it. She began to writhe, whimpering and gasping for air as she began to cry out lightly. She felt a burning within her, her mind screaming as everything she ever loved about Alice, Jack and her other friends was the fuel being burned to ignite her mind's metamorphosis.

The Queen called upon all to gather for a meeting to discuss their next course of action. When they all gathered, the Phoenix narrowed his eyes, his flames letting off a dull glow.

"When shall we attack?" He asked.

"There shall be a series of fronts we shall cover over the course of the next several days. The absence of the child must not reach Alice and her comrades in the forest. They are isolated and unaware of the happenings in Arendelle, and they must remain so." The Queen said.

"Bükh ulmaas khuvid, okhin ni bidend asar ikh ersdeltei! Ted end tüünii derged ni khariu arga khemjee avakh bolno!" Maharaja exclaimed.

"Fear not, Maharaja, for as you shall all soon see, the rewards of the child's presence among us shall outweigh the risks. It should only be a short time now…" The Queen said.

As they continued their discussions, Hans turned when he heard something. When he saw the source of the noise lingering some distance behind them, he briefly whispered to the Queen, nodding to him as he excused himself briefly. The Queen and those in her party watched as Hans returned, helping Eliza out to them as she staggered a bit. Her hair hung in her face, wheezing lightly as she was brought to them. The Queen smirked lightly, taking a step forward to take her hands.

"I have made my decision." Eliza said quietly.

"My dear, you have not rested for barely an hour… perhaps you need more time." The Queen said.

"I need no more time." Eliza responded. "I want to see the parchment."

The Queen raised a brow, waving her hand to produce the parchment as requested. Saying nothing, she watched Eliza take it into her hands, gazing over it. As her hands began to shake violently, she gasped as she breathed unevenly, the piece of paper levitating from her hands as it floated over to a flame burning amongst the group of the Queen's allies. Eliza lifted her head, her now eyes crimson like blood as her brow twisted with rage. As the parchment burned, her breathing remained shaky as the Queen gazed upon her triumphantly; the transformation of the child had both captivated and stunned the collective.

"Nice…" Turbo whispered.

"I choose for there to be no peace… no mercy… no end to their suffering… all they have done against us shall be done to them ten times over!" Eliza lifted her head more, pure hatred and vengeance in her expression. "Alice and her influence will fall!"

As Maharaja's minions all cheered, the Queen's grin grew, she waved her hand to produce a red crown, one commonly seen on that of a chess piece. She approached Eliza, holding it above her head.

"You shall reap all the glories and riches of this war, child… and you shall take the throne in its wake. Their spilt blood shall be your crown; may it serve as the foundation for the empire at your feet." The Queen said, placing the crown on Eliza's head. "In misery and despair, may all who come to fear you come to call you by your new name…" The Queen turned, gesturing her hand towards Eliza. "All give praise to the Red Queen!" Maharaja shouted to his minions, all of them, the Queen's card guards, Hans, even the Phoenix bowed. Turbo even did so to save face. As they hailed her, Eliza looked around, a twisted grin slowly working its way into her features. As the Queen looked upon the flawless product of her manipulation and corruption, she knew in her mind that there was nothing stopping her from beginning her conquest in earnest. "Card guards! The first step must be taken. Gather yourselves to march into Arendelle. Slaughter any who resist your subjugation. Remove any means of escape for those within the castle… they shall be trapped within their own fortress." She glanced at Hans, motioning him over. "Hans shall be the one to lead you." She turned to Maharaja then. "Your satisfaction shall begin now. I hope you still have proficiency in the hunt… the child shall lead you to your prey."

Maharaja nodded, chuckling darkly as he glanced over to Eliza. Any doubt he had towards her had quickly dissipated, and he could almost taste the blood of the offspring of the last woman of flight upon his lips.

* * *

Gustav sighed lightly, turning over one of Eliza's rings in his hand. Olaf sat beside him, both wearing somber expressions.

"I'm such an idiot…" Gustav cursed himself quietly, shaking his head as he grabbed his helmet. He took it off his head, tossing it so it clattered on the floor. "I'm not a Viking… I'm a disappointment. I let down the one person who ever saw me as anything worthwhile."

Olaf glanced up at the young boy, patting his arm with his stick hand. "We all make mistakes sometimes… even when we don't mean to. When we find Eliza, we can tell her how much we care, and she'll have to feel better." He smiled lightly.

Gustav had to admit; for a pile of talking snow, Olaf sure was optimistic. Maybe they all needed it in this dark time. "I hope she can believe that." He said, his fingertips gracing over his lips for a brief moment. "I never thought anyone would like me that much… let alone a girl like her. I blew it…" He sighed. "If anything happens to her now, it's my fault."

As Kristoff shook the snow globe again, he sighed, biting his lip. He didn't understand why it wasn't working as Rapunzel placed a comforting arm around a distraught Anna. Hiccup sat in a chair, bend forward with his forehead resting on his hands. Merida paced around tensely, unable to remain still. They had all searched the entire palace area, finally resorting to try to use a snow globe to risk leaving the safety of the castle to get to wherever Eliza was. For some reason, however, the snow globe was not taking them to her, as if she didn't exist.

"I just don't get it…" Kristoff finally said in a defeated tone. "Why isn't it doing anything?"

"Because there's only one explanation…" Anna said shakily, beginning to sob. "She's dead…"

"Don't ye dare say that!" Merida shouted, taking out a knife and flinging at the wall in her frustration. As it embedded into the door frame, Eugene was walking in, screaming like a girl as the knife barely missed him. He held his hands up defensively, breathing quickly.

"Jeez, what did I do?!" Eugene cried.

"Sorry lad, just feeling edgy at the moment…" Merida sighed. "… any sign of her?"

"No… I took Maximus into the local towns after Gustav got back… not a trace of her." Eugene replied.

Hiccup finally lifted his head, wiping his eyes briefly. "We failed her. All of us. We failed Eliza, and we failed Alice and the other guardians. Everything we worked to try to protect has been lost. We cannot stop for a second until we find her."

Eugene was about to say something when they all stopped, hearing something. Even within the thick walls of the palace, they heard a sudden swell of commotion outside. Not hesitating, Merida took out her bow and arrow, glancing back at Kristoff. "Get Anna and Rapunzel to safety. That doesn't sound good." She said.

"Let me come with you, I can manage anything dangerous." Rapunzel said, going to the kitchen wall nearby and taking a frying pan into her hands.

"Trust me, she's an expert fighter with that thing." Eugene said when Merida raised a brow.

Just then, the doors burst open, one of Arendelle's royal guards rushing in.

"Princess Anna! Horrible skeleton creatures have launched an attack on the city! They are being led by-"

The window broke then, glass shattering everywhere as Hans flew inside on his flying card. Pandemonium ensued in a moment as he narrowed his eyes, extending his hands to shoot out blasts of fire at anyone within his range. The attack was so sudden, they were all taken off guard as the Queen's card army burst in through all the doors. They had fought through Arendelle's entire primary force, leaving the palace vulnerable.

"Oh, I remember you lads!" Merida shouted, Hiccup joining her side as they both took to fighting off the assault with their swords. Eugene grabbed his own sword, grimacing.

"What in the hell ARE these things?!" Eugene shouted, wincing as he managed to slaughter one.

"They're the offspring of a giant she-devil, that's what!" Merida shouted, grunting as she sliced through another card guard.

Rapunzel gasped, two on either side of her as she glanced back and forth. As they both charged at her, she bit her lip as she dove out of the way at the last moment. A third came towards her as the first two impaled each other, Rapunzel ducking under their spears to hit it in the knee with her frying pan, the creature hissing as he fell. She then stepped forward, whacking it upside the head and knocking it out.

"Still got it, Rapunzel…" She said to herself.

Outside in the stables, Arendelle's horses, along with Angus and Maximus, neighed and shrieked fearfully as card guards poked them with their spears to subdue them. As they were about to be impaled, Toothless jumped in, defending the horses. Fanghook joined him soon after, helping to allow the horses and Sven to flee to safety. He then chirped to Fanghook, motioning to the castle. The Monstrous Nightmare grunted, taking to flight towards the palace.

Gustav and Olaf jumped when they heard commotion from downstairs, the two peeking out the bedroom door and gasping when they saw several card guards make their way up the stairs, hissing to each other as they began to search up and down the corridor. As they watched, Baby Tooth suddenly appeared, carrying Pascal in her small arms. She squeaked frantically, the small chameleon sick with worry as well for his friends downstairs. Despite Gustav holding his finger to his lips to shush them, it was too late as one of the card guards whirled in their direction, growling as he motioned the other card guards to follow him.

"Great, it saw us!" Gustav cried. "Come on!"

The young Viking hoisted Olaf onto his back, carrying him as he sprinted down the hall. As the card guards gained up on him, he skidded to a stop, dashing into Hiccup and Merida's bedroom. He slammed and locked the door, stepping back as the card guards began to pound heavily on it. Biting his lip, he glanced out the window as he tried to find a way out of their jam.

"Looks like they're everywhere down there…" Olaf said worriedly.

"Okay, okay, um… there's got to be something…" Gustav bit his lip, rummaging around the room. "Sorry Hiccup, but we're a bit desperate here…" He said to himself as he rummaged through the elder Viking's belongings. When he heard Baby Tooth squeaking, he glanced back, the little fairy holding up a pair of necklaces, each containing a crystal. It was the necklaces that North had given to Hiccup and Merida after the fall of Bumby, so that they may access the workshop from anywhere. Gustav blinked, getting to his feet and inspecting the objects. "Can these get us out of here?" He asked, Baby Tooth nodding. "Okay, um… you, stay on my shoulder." He said to Pascal, scooping the chameleon up and placing him on his left shoulder.

"Hey, Gustav?" Olaf called.

"What?" Gustav answered, gathering some weapons lying about the room.

"Um, I think we should close this window…" Olaf said, glancing back and pointing down.

Gustav strode over, glancing out to see that card guards were beginning to climb up the side of the castle wall towards them.

"Oh for the love of Odin's ghost!" Gustav cried. "Okay, Olaf, we need to find stuff to barricade the window with, and-"

Just then, a loud roar was heard, a loud boom heard as Gustav shielded his eyes. Fire and smoke erupted from below the window for a moment, the boy gasping and smiling when he saw who was outside when the smoke cleared.

"Fanghook!" He cried, running up to the window. "Boy, am I glad to see you, pal! Come on, we've got to get out of here!"

Just as this was said, the card guards in the hall managed to force the bedroom door open, hissing as they made their way in. Gustav gulped, panicking as he quickly grabbed Olaf and hoisted him onto Fanghook. Baby Tooth fluttered about outside worriedly, breathing a sigh of relief as Gustav managed to climb out before the card guards could get to him. As they began to throw their spears, Gustav cried out, just barely making an escape as the spears whizzed past them.

"Where are we going to go? And what about Anna and Kristoff and our friends?" Olaf frowned.

"We'll have to come back for them! And I don't know how these things work, but… we'll have to figure out something once we get somewhere safe!" Gustav cried, gasping when the necklaces around his and Olaf's necks began to glow. Moments later, a portal opened, Fanghook flying into it. When they emerged, they found themselves in the tundra, flying towards North's workshop. "Well, that looks decent enough!" He shouted, Baby Tooth smiling and pointing towards it.

* * *

 **Oh boy... leaving you all on yet another cliff hanger. Will Gustav be able to get proper help in time to save Arendelle from peril? Can Eliza be saved? What else does the Queen have planned? More answers to come in upcoming chapters, so as always, please stay tuned and thanks again for reading! See you next time!**


	27. Opposing Forces Advancing

**Good afternoon readers! Last time we left off, our heroes in Arendelle were dealing with a rather harsh ambush. How will they make out? Find out the answers now! And as always, please enjoy!**

* * *

Meanwhile, at Hans' command, the card guards had managed to subdue and bound Anna, Kristoff, Hiccup, Merida, Rapunzel and Eugene; there were just too many to fight on their own, and Hans had also proven quite difficult to handle. As they struggled against their binds, Hans touched down, propping his flying card against the wall before approaching them. He chuckled lowly, dusting his hands off.

"Well, well, isn't this a familiar situation you're in, Anna? Only this time, it isn't ice you have to worry about…" He said, extending his hand to conjure a low flame, the glow illuminating Anna's face.

"Stay away from her!" Kristoff shouted, grunting as he tried to free his hands.

"Hm, you're not really in a position to be telling me what to do, are you? Oh, right, you NEVER were, you peasant mongrel." Hans laughed.

"Takes one to know one…" Hiccup growled, narrowing his eyes.

Hans glanced over at the Viking, looking him up and down. "Now you, I haven't seen before… you obviously don't know who you're talking to. I am a prince of the Southern Isles, so I advise you show me some respect."

Hiccup forced a laugh. "Well here's some news for you, bud, I'm the CHIEF of my tribe. I outdo you on that one."

Hans grimaced; he did not like being talked back to. "Well then, how about this… would you like to know how much I care?" He asked before punching Hiccup right in the gut, the Viking wincing from the painful impact.

Merida's eyes became crazed, thrashing in her binds. "If ye do that again, I'll slice that smile right off your proud mug, ye foul brute!" She shouted, gritting her teeth as her breathing quickened.

Hans looked over at her, glancing between the two of them as he laughed. "Oh… is this your girlfriend? Nearly got me with one of her arrows, if I recall correctly." He glanced down at Hiccup's fake leg, grinning darkly. "Now, it must be tough to deal with your little…" He nonchalantly kicked at it before walking over to Merida. "I've seen some rather heartwarming things that couples share in my years… matching rings, matching outfits… I don't think you're doing him justice. What was your name?"

"Eat m' rump, that's what it is, you-" Merida was cut off when Hans slapped her hard across her face, enraging Hiccup as he struggled against his binds. Merida slowly looked up at Hans with pure rage in her expression, her lip beginning to bleed as she inhaled deeply, spitting at Hans. He chuckled, taking a handkerchief and wiping her spit off of him.

"My, you are a savage one… no surprise, you both obviously come from provinces where civilized behaviors aren't a part of your culture." Hans shrugged. "So… this shouldn't come as too horrible to you." Hans took out a knife, chuckling lowly. "Now, it's not fair that, if you really love each other, that mister objectionable chief here has to limp around with a peg leg and you don't. If you don't bleed to death, perhaps you can have something to match like all of the other couples out there I mentioned."

As he neared Merida, who struggled as he pushed her dress up to where her knees were, the others gasped and cried out, Hiccup's eyes widened with horror.

"NO! Leave her alone, don't hurt her!" Hiccup cried.

Hans stopped his action, looking over at Hiccup. "Ah… not so confident anymore, are you?" Hans smirked, pressing the blade against Merida's skin. She winced as he left a deep cut, swiping it across her leg just above her knee in one quick motion.

"You monster!" Eugene struggled. "Just do what you have to and let us be!"

"Now here's someone with a bit of rationale; unfortunately, I like to stick around and socialize, it's a bad habit of mine… some people just make it so easy though…" As he walked back over to Anna, they all glared at him as he strode past them, and he crouched down before the bound princess. "You know, my memory may be a bit fuzzy, but… that last time I met you here, there was something you wanted desperately, something you needed so badly from me… oh, yes, I remember now…" He laughed, Kristoff trying to yank his feet out of the ropes binding him to his chair. "… I wasn't very willing to grant your request last time… but I'm feeling a bit generous, so I'll make it up to you now."

Kristoff never felt more enraged in his life, the group of them disgusted as Hans leaned in, forcing a kiss on Anna's lips. The princess whimpered, shutting her eyes as she tried to turn her head away from him. This agony lasted for nearly another minute before Hans finally let up, smirking triumphantly.

"You are a disgusting pig!" Anna screamed, humiliated by the foul act.

"Oh, I know you won't admit it, Anna… but I know you want me over that rancid clown any day." He said, motioning to Kristoff. "Now, all of you just sit tight…" He chuckled at his own joke. "… I'm just going to take my own little tour of what will be my future kingdom. No queens, no princesses… just me; Hans, King of Arendelle!"

He relished in all of the group's angered expressions as he took his leave, leaving them to remain hostage until help hopefully arrived. Merida breathed heavily, blood dripping down her leg and pooling on the ground around her feet.

* * *

Tooth hummed lightly to herself, breaking every few moments to give directions to her fairies. Many were already out and about, some lifting the secret trap door to retrieve tooth boxes to place teeth in and then replace them. North remained at his post at the bottom of the stairs within the tower, while Wick was still posted outside. His eyes widened lightly after concentrating for several moments, beaming as he levitated with excitement. He floated up to where Tooth was, giggling with excitement.

"Tooth! Tooth, look!" Wick cried happily.

"Huh, what is it? Is everything alright?" She asked, becoming alert.

Wick held his hands out, grinning widely as he opened them to reveal a s'more. He extended his hands a bit more when Tooth blinked in surprise.

"Try it…" He urged, squeaking a bit as he was barely able to contain his excitement. Deciding to entertain him for now, Tooth took the small treat in her hands, taking a bite. Her eyes lit up then, nodding slowly.

"Wick, this is… it's great!" She dabbed her mouth upon finishing it. "Well, all your hard work has finally paid off!"

"YES!" He shouted, surprising her and some of the fairies as he whirled around in a circle, cheering triumphantly. "I finally got control of my powers, just like Jack said! Boy, I can't wait to tell him!"

"Rimsky-Korsikov! What is all this noise up here?! We are supposed to be keeping low profile, not making whole world hear us!" North exclaimed.

"Sorry North, but I made a s'more! A good one, not one that was a hunk of coal, like you said my ones before were, so I'm really, really happy!" Wick beamed.

"Focus, Wick! We still have a job to do! Now go back outside and watch for any trespassers! We must protect Tooth!" North shouted.

"Oh, okay… but just making sure you know I did it, North! I'm going to be a super duper superb guardian now!" Wick smiled proudly, North sighing a bit as he made his way back outside.

Tooth glanced over at him, flossing her teeth as she smiled gently. "Norf… you haf to give him credid… all of hish optimishum ish keeping our morale up." She discarded the floss then, lifting her lip to inspect her teeth in the mirror. "He's great with the fairies… who knew they loved scary stories until he came around?"

"Still, Tooth, this is very dangerous time. We must be vigilant for anyone who comes here." North warned. "We cannot put anything past Queen or Maharaja."

Outside, Wick giggled to himself, propping his scythe up against the outer wall of the tower. "I can't wait to show everybody… this is going to be great! I'm going to finally be a good enough guardian to-" His thought was cut off when he heard a sound in the distance, perking up as he tilted his head. When he heard the sound again and realized it was someone screaming, he gasped lightly, grabbing his scythe and soaring towards the noise. A bit further down the stream, he saw movement, gasping when he touched down to help the individual into an upright position. "E- Eliza?!" He cried, gasping as he hugged her close to him. "Wh- What are you doing here? What happened to you?"

Eliza coughed wheezily, whimpering lightly as she looked up at him with a tear stained face. "W- Wick… the Queen, she… she kidnapped me… I managed to escape, but she hurt me badly…"

Wick frowned deeply, trying to fumble his scythe and scoop her up. "Here, let me take you to the tower, North and Tooth will be able to help!"

"N- No, Wick, it hurts too much… please, stay here with me for just a short while, just until some of the pain subsides…" Eliza whimpered.

"Okay…" Wick nodded, sitting beside the young girl. He smiled sadly, letting her rest her head against his shoulder. "I miss when we played pirates… that Queen… I'll get her back for hurting you."

Eliza sat up a bit, looking at Wick. "Well… we can play a new game now, if you want…" She said quietly.

"Really? Are you sure you can while you're hurt? What's the name of it?" Wick asked.

"Oh, I won't be playing… it doesn't really have a name. It's quite simple, really. You just see how long you can hold your breath underwater." Eliza said.

Wick blinked a bit, giggling. "Eliza, you know I hate the water-"

In a split second, Wick was yanked back, hoisted up as several hands grabbed him. Two monkey minions had come out of hiding, one kicking away Wick's staff as he tried to grab it.

"Tüüniig ezlen!" One of the monkey minions shouted.

"Eliza! Eliza run-" Wick began to shout, his sentence cut off as they dunked his head into the stream. After several moments, they let up on him a bit, gasping when he saw Eliza standing before him, using the stream's water to wipe her face, arms and legs. The bruising and gashes she supposedly had washed right off, having been a farce the entire time. As she wiped off the makeup, Wick's brows twisted in absolute confusion.

"Hold him here until we've collected what we came for." Eliza said, her eyes burning into Wick's.

"E- Eliza, what's happening? Why are you helping them?!" Wick cried out, struggling against the monkey minions.

She bent down, meeting him face to face. "Because they are helping me." She replied with a lack of emotion, standing upright and shoving her foot hard into his shoulder, making the Halloween guardian wince before walking away from him. Gasping, he saw that she, along with Maharaja and his army, were emerging from the trees, bushes, and the enclaves of the surrounding rock walls which kept the tower isolated.

"North! North, they're coming-" Wick tried to shout out towards the tower, but was stopped when the monkey minions holding him captive dunked his head into the stream again to silence him.

In the tower, Tooth gathered a few fairies to give them instructions of where to collect the next few teeth. As they were about to fly out the tower window, they reeled back when several monkey minions appeared, screeching as they climbed in to swipe at the fairies. Tooth gasped at the sudden intrusion, her fairies swarming around them and giving her a chance to flee down the stairs. She screamed for North, the Christmas guardian growling as he unsheathed his swords. More monkey minions entered through the window, climbing up the outer walls of the tower and dashing down the stairs to pursue Tooth. As she did her best to evade them, North cried out as he fought off the minions.

"Wick! Where is Wick?!" He shouted angrily.

"He could be in trouble out there, North!" Tooth cried, gasping as she narrowly missed a spear being thrown at her.

As some minions tried to hit North with their clubs and spears, North easily sliced through the wooden weapons, elbowing and kicking them down. Those with swords tried as they might, swinging, lunging, coming down upon him, but North was more experienced than all of them, easily taking many of them down by himself.

When one larger and stronger than the minions hopped down to combat with North, he found that attaining victory was not so easy.

North gritted his teeth as Maharaja himself clashed swords with him, staring darkly as they dueled. Maharaja whirled around, blocking North's attack from behind before rolling forward, whirling around as he blocked another attack over his head. He shoved North forward with his foot as he hopped back to a standing position, emitting a battle cry as he lunged forward, Tooth screaming as she thought she impaled her friend's head into the wall.

"NORTH!" Tooth shrieked.

"Do not worry, only got hat! A much liked hat, may I add!" North shouted, glaring at Maharaja as he jabbed his sword forward, piercing through Maharaja's armor. He cheered triumphantly, thinking he had managed to overcome the hulking man-beast.

However, North's smile soon faded as Maharaja chuckled lowly, revealing he was wearing another layer of protective armor underneath. He grunted, yanking North's sword out and tossing it to one of his nearby minions.

"Ta khyalbar, bükh tsag üyeiin khamgiin aguu anchin namaig yalakh gej boddog?!" Maharaja laughed heartily.

"You are no great hunter, you are a murderer!" North shouted. "You shall be punished for what you have done!"

Maharaja scoffed. "Zörüüd khün tany yalagdal khüleen!" He shouted before punching North's stomach hard, the Christmas guardian falling to his knees as Maharaja hoisted him up, holding a blade against his neck." Tooth cried out, still trying to evade the minions' attacks. "Toothiana! Shine geriin ni minii jad deer kholbogdson olokh bolno End minii , esvel tany naiz ööriigöö khuraalga!"

Tooth bit her lip, her heart pounding with a moment of indecision; she swallowed thickly, furrowing her brows deeply. "Maharaja… if I give myself up, you will let him live?"

"Tiim ee ... bi ter ööriin ügiin utgand yag tokhirch ömnö ter ni ta naryn ükhliin medekh ni khüsej baina." Maharaja replied.

Tooth sighed shakily, nodding as she shut her eyes tightly. She lowered herself to the ground, allowing the minions to bind her hands and legs. Her fairies swarmed in a panicked frenzy as they watched their queen become prisoner to the Monkey King. Maharaja laughed wickedly, shoving North to the side as he approached her. Bending down upon one knee, he sneered in her face as they forced Tooth's head to be held upright.

"My friends will come for me…" Tooth said, narrowing her eyes.

"Ted ta ali khediin amidralyn tani khuurai olokh bolno. Etsest ni khelekhed, minii khulgailsan aldar ba khün törölkhtnii tölöö tölbör nadad khiine." Maharaja said, grinning maliciously as he raised one of his swords to behead her. As he was about to bring the blade down, the sound of small footsteps at the top of the stairs were heard.

"Do not take her life just yet!"

North and Tooth looked to the source of the voice, horrified when they saw Eliza slowly, one by one, descending down the steps.

"Ene ni nadad shagnalyg avakhaar shaardakh tsag Kherev!" Maharaja shouted angrily.

"The Queen said you may capture her and return her to the mountain, but you may not spill her blood until that of Alice and Elsa are spilled first." Eliza said, Maharaja glaring at her for a moment before glancing at his minions.

"Tüüniig garch shiljüülj tushaasan yosoor uuland tüüniig batalgaajuulakh." Maharaja said to them, the minions nodding firmly before one walked up to Tooth, holding a club. He reared his hand back, striking Tooth harshly against her head and knocking her out.

As they all made their way out of the tower, Eliza slowly turned to North, still in absolute shock of her betrayal. "Consider yourself lucky that I have allowed you and Wick to be spared. Hinder our actions, and you will not be granted with such mercy again." With that, she turned on her heel, following Maharaja out of the tower and was helped down by the minions. In a flash, they all disappeared, leaving not a trace of their destruction.

Wick's head was bowed, hugging himself as he sat on his knees. If he had the ability to produce tears, they would be streaming down his face now. He held his hat within his shaking hands, his branch like thumbs tracing over a small patch sewn onto his hat; it had been done so several months ago by Eliza herself. The girl he had seen was her spitting image, but he no longer recognized who she was, her mind and heart twisted by the Queen's influence. He jumped when someone approached him, getting to his feet when he saw North standing to his left.

"N- North! I… I tried to… they held my head under the water and I couldn't…" Wick closed his hollow eyes, bowing his head. "There's… something wrong with Eliza…"

"I know." North spoke barely above a whisper, opening his own hand to reveal one of Tooth's feathers resting on his palm. "We must return to the workshop. This is worse than I ever could have imagined."

* * *

Bunny paced around, rubbing his hands together as he heaved a sigh. Jack, who was crouching in a tree, had been watching him for nearly an hour with bewilderment. The only time he saw his friend this nervous is when Easter was around the corner or when they had to travel by North's sleigh. Being he was in neither situation, Jack snickered and shook his head, hopping off the tree to touch down on the ground, approaching him.

"Hey, Bunny? I think I know where the inspiration from the Energizer Bunny came from now." Jack said, laughing a bit.

"Sod off, Jack, I'm stressing out here!" Bunny snapped.

"Come on, can't you at least talk about it?" Jack asked. "I may not be ALL ears like you, but I can still hear you out- woah!"

Bunny took Jack's hand, dragging him a bit away from the encampment. As the ice guardian protested, Bunny finally let up when they were far enough to be out of earshot from the rest of the group. He turned slowly, biting his lips as he wrung his hands together.

"I don't know what to do, mate." He started quietly.

"Um… about what, exactly?" Jack asked.

"Look, Jack… Emily, she… she showed me something today… something very precious to her. She kind of speaks in riddles sometimes, but I understood very clearly what she was trying to get across to me." Bunny answered.

Jack tilted his head, amused. "Bunny, you two are friends now, everyone knows it. There's nothing wrong with that, there's no reason why you should be freaking out if she just wants to show you around her forest and-"

"She LOVES me, Jack." He interrupted, exhaling sharply as he began to pace around again. "I don't know what to do… I- I mean, I barely knew anything about her from all of this, I would have never even considered being FRIENDLY with her before this whole ordeal, I saw her as nothing more than a bloody mad woman… but, apparently, I must have a thing for mad women, because the other thing, I'm sorry to say, I'm still trying to get over Alice, and now Emily is throwing all this stuff at me at once, and it's becoming too much for me to handle, and I feel like I'm gonna-"

"Okay, okay, will you take a breather and calm down for two seconds?" Jack asked, holding his hands up. "I've noticed the two of you, and I've also noticed that Emily has been less… moody since you two have been spending time together. This doesn't have to be serious, just keep having fun and just showing her you care. You do… care, right?"

"I do… she's really gotten under my fur, and I don't know exactly when that all started and it's making my head spin! This is no ordinary Sheila, Jack, this is Emily Jane, Emily Jane for crying out loud! I may as well try to ask Medusa out on a date!" Bunny exclaimed.

"Come on Bunny, that's not cool…" Jack frowned.

"I know it isn't! And the thing is, I… since I've been getting to know her, I… I'm really starting to like her, mate. I'm really starting to like her a lot." Bunny said.

"Great! So what in the hell is the problem?" Jack chuckled.

"She's Emily Jane, Jack. Emily Jane PITCHINER. She's Pitch's daughter. The daughter of the sorry bloke who's been my enemy for as long as I can remember, the daughter of the same monster that wiped out my entire species!" Bunny cried, plopping down on a log and hanging his head. "I don't know if this is right. I don't know… if it's possible for me to love her. She's still very impulsive, Jack. She can go from zero to one hundred in a second, she can flip the switch at any time."

Jack sighed, walking over and placing his staff down to sit next to his friend. "Bunny… though that all may be true, she still has feelings. She isn't evil, really… I think deep down she's still hurting from her past just like you do sometimes, and she is just trying to find happiness like we are. She just… isn't as outgoing as the rest of us are." As Bunny glanced over at him, Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. "And Bunny, just because she's Pitch's daughter, doesn't mean you should just push her away. I think you both want the same thing. If you really like her, then just do what your feelings tell you to."

"You know, Jack… for someone who's only a few hundred years old, you sure know a lot." Bunny smiled lightly, Jack chuckling a bit in response.

"Well, whatever gets you off of Alice's case, I'm for it." Jack laughed as Bunny nudged his arm. "Just saying."

"You're a good friend, mate. Better than I deserve sometimes." Bunny sighed. "You can't tell anyone, but… she wants to see me again tonight."

"Aww, is someone going to have a candlelit dinner waiting for you?" He snickered as he was nudged again. "Kidding, I'm kidding… look, I hope things work out. I'm happy for you, Bunny."

"Thanks, Jack." He smiled, smirking a bit then as he reached over, surprising Jack as he ruffled his hair, messing with him.

"Oh come on, I just fixed it up!" Jack cried, shaking his head as Bunny hopped to his feet.

"Stop being such a girl, frost bite!" Bunny laughed as he headed back towards camp.

In their little shelter, Sandy jolted awake, having been napping when a terrible vision suddenly came to him. He gasped for air, holding his head for a moment as he glanced around in a panic. He floated out of the shelter, catching sight of Alice. He dashed over to her, frantically telecommunicating to her.

Alice's eyes widened. "What? You envisioned Tooth wasting away?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. "Something is amiss."

As Bunny and Jack returned to camp, joking around with one another, they both ceased their antics when they noticed Alice's serious expression and Sandy's distressed one.

"Hey, what's going on?" Jack asked. "What's the matter?"

"Sandy has had a vision." Alice started. "It seems to be pointing towards terrible danger."

"Well, we know WE'RE going to be in danger, we're going up against that giant octopus." Bunny replied.

"Not for us, Bunnymund." Alice said. "For Tooth."

Both their faces fell a bit, looking to Sandy. "Sandy, she's with North and Wick. I saw that myself when I stopped by there a few weeks ago." Jack said.

"Jack, when the man of dreams is having a dreadful vision, it's not just something to disregard." Alice said.

"I understand that, but they don't even know where to find her." Jack said.

"It could be someone trying to mess with him… maybe the Queen is trying to psyche him out." Bunny suggested.

"Either way, it is a reason to be wary." Alice said. "I'm going to seek out Ralph, Pitch and Elsa. I think it would be wise to check in as to how they are progressing and if Pitch may be able to offer his assistance in this matter."

"Huh… never would have thought that the Nightmare King would ever help the Dream Man." Jack said, raising his brows. Sandy sighed in annoyance, rubbing his face as he was not at all looking forward to the interaction.

Meanwhile, Pitch chuckled a bit as he curled up with Elsa, gently petting her hair. Elsa exhaled slowly, her sapphire blue eyes looking up into his.

"Well, I'm certainly glad that it was resolved." Pitch whispered, kissing Elsa's forehead.

"Will you finally be nice to him now?" Elsa asked. "He took it really well… besides, you've been so nice to that sweet little Vanellope."

Pitch scoffed, chuckling a bit nervously. "Sweet? That little pest is far from sweet."

"I've seen how you've been with her… it's really touching. In a way, she reminds me of Anna when she was little; so full of curiosity, spirit, courage… even in the face of adversity. Elsa said.

"Perhaps you're right." Pitch chuckled. "Emily had a tendency of being a free spirit herself."

Just then, the curtain to their shelter opened, Alice poking her head in. "Glad to see the two of you are toiling in your labor."

"Glad to see we are decent, otherwise neither of us would be very pleased with this situation right now." Pitch said, huffing as he sat up. "What do you want now?"

"You know Pitch, this is not the time to decide to appear and disappear whenever you wish. For your information, I require your presence by Emily's throne." Alice said. "Please make haste." She said before turning and walking away.

Pitch groaned, glancing over at Elsa. "Well, our quality time together was nice while it lasted…" He rolled his eyes, getting to his feet to exit the shelter and follow Alice. Elsa chuckled lightly, shaking her head as she also decided to find some useful employment.

* * *

 **Well, as Sandy can see, Bunny's little dilemma is the least of our heroes' problems! Can Arendelle and Tooth be saved at this point? Will Alice and the group somehow find out what's happening to their friends? Leaving you all on another cliffhanger, so stay tuned for updates! Thanks again for reading, see you next time!**


	28. Vigilantly Seeking Answers

**Good evening, everyone! My vacation is over but I am still committed to uploading a chapter for everyone to read! I was kind of wrestling with where to end it, being the last scene is... a bit long. However, I decided to add it in because I love my readers! Warning, there will be some brutality in this chapter, and there will also be romance. Bearing that in mind, please prepare yourself and as always, enjoy!**

* * *

Gustav tossed his satchel aside, Baby Tooth explaining to the Yetis that he and Fanghook were friends. The Yetis welcomed Gustav, a bit wary of them at first. When he realized they, nor the elves, would do him no harm, he relaxed a bit.

"Okay… can someone tell me where we are, exactly?" Gustav asked, Pascal squeaking curiously from his shoulder.

"I can tell you exactly where you are!"

Gustav whirled around, North and Wick taking a defensive stance as they threatened to strike.

"Who are you? Are you friends with the Queen?" Wick asked, narrowing his hollow eyes.

"W- Wait, what? The Queen? What Queen? Who are YOU?!" The Viking boy questioned.

Baby Tooth squeaked frantically, flying up to North and Wick as she tried to communicate with them as she had with the Yetis. After a few moments, North nodded slowly, sheathing his swords.

"Wick, lower your scythe. It seems the boy is actually from Hiccup's land." North said. "Alright, it seems you, young man, are no longer on naughty list. What is your name?"

"Gustav Larson. Yours?" He asked.

"You may call me North. This here is Wick, we are both guardians. You must have heard of us, no?" North replied.

"Kind of… you've been mentioned a few times." He glanced around. "Is this your hut? It's pretty big if it is…" Gustav asked.

"This is no hut, Gustav! This is my workshop, where toys are made each and every day to disperse to all the world's children at Christmas time." North waved his hand around.

"Christmas? Never heard of that." Gustav nodded though, impressed. "So… why did these crystal things bring me here?"

"Those were given to Hiccup and Merida by me as a means to come here quickly." North raised a suspicious brow then. "Why do YOU have them? You did not steal them, did you?"

"No! Well, kind of, but… you don't understand! I was staying with them in Arendelle, and we were attacked by these… skeleton things!" Gustav exclaimed. "They need help!"

"Bozhe moy!" North breathed, his eyes widened with shock; "It isn't bad enough that WE have been ambushed, now Arendelle also?"

"Wait, what do you mean? Those skeleton guys attacked you too?" Gustav asked.

"No… Maharaja, the Monkey King, he swarmed Rapunzel's tower, they captured Tooth!" North exclaimed.

At this, Baby Tooth emitted a panicked squeak, devastated by this news.

"And that horrible Queen did something to Eliza! She's… she's all evil and stuff now!" Wick wailed.

Gustav's head snapped up at the sound of Eliza's name. "W- Wait, what? Eliza? You saw her?! Where is she now? What do you mean she's evil? How is that poss-"

"Slow down, young man, slow down! You know Eliza?" North asked.

"Yeah, she was with Hiccup and the others in Arendelle! I… I made a terrible mistake the night before she went missing… I hurt her feelings, and then she ran away." Gustav bowed his head sadly.

"This is bad… very, very bad. Arendelle is under siege… Tooth is captured… we know nothing about Jack and Alice's condition. The Queen is taking over everything, she is winning battles on all fronts!" North exclaimed.

"Who is this Queen you keep talking about?" Gustav asked.

"She's super mean." Wick nodded. "She's scary, too. She's got these big, sharp teeth, and a funny voice, and she likes hearts… something like that…" Wick tapped his head as he thought. "Oh, and she wears this big, poofy, red dress. She really, really hates Alice."

As Gustav listened, something clicked when he mentioned the color red. "Hang on…" He pursed his lip in deep thought. "When Eliza was asking me to keep a secret… she kept visiting this… this 'friend' every night… she said she needed to in order to help her family, these people named Alice and Jack. She said she was trying to stop a big war or something, and she always came back with something. Like in the beginning, she had this scepter stick thing, a dress, jewelry… it was all red…"

North narrowed his eyes, crouching down so he was at Gustav's level. "Gustav… are you saying that when she would go off on her own each night, known only to you… that it was the Queen she was seeing?"

"Maybe… I can't be sure." Gustav replied.

"What could she mean by 'stopping a war…?' Perhaps stopping the war between her and Alice… but how would that come to be?" North asked himself, pacing around.

"Maybe it was tricks or treats." Wick said, tilting his head.

"Wick, this is no time for shenanigans!" North exclaimed.

"No no, really! Maybe if Eliza made the Queen happy, she got treats, and if not, she would get tricked… or something… I'm confused now." Wick scratched his head again.

"Wait. Wick, you may be onto something… perhaps the Queen tricked Eliza, taking advantage of her naïve mind and…" North staggered back, turning and going over to the globe. He narrowed his eyes, scanning through all of the bright colored lights. When a remote part of the United States appeared, he slowly pointed to a lone, glowing light.

It was red.

"North?" Wick asked. "Is it supposed to be that color?"

"No, Wick. No, it is not." North replied, moving quickly. "It is time to gear up! We must go to Arendelle immediately!"

"Are we going to save Hiccup and everybody?" Gustav smiled.

"Yes, young man. And you shall help us. Your dragon seems fierce, like Toothless, and shall aid us in reclaiming the city." North said.

"Okay, but, how are you going to get there?" Gustav asked. North descended to the sub level of the workshop, waving his hand towards his sleigh. Gustav looked upon it and the reindeer with awe, nodding his head in amazement. "Woah… what everyone in Berk wouldn't give to see this…"

"Come now, there is no time to waste!" North exclaimed, everyone getting ready to take their journey back to Arendelle.

* * *

The Queen turned at the sound of someone returning inside the mountain. She grinned when Maharaja, his army, and Eliza approached, dragging a tied up and barely conscious Tooth with them. Hans had already returned from his own conquest, the card guard army remaining in Arendelle to maintain their siege. Maharaja stopped, grabbing Tooth and forcing her head upright so the Queen could get a better look at her. Tooth glared at her as much as she could muster, still weak from the fight back at the tower.

"Hm…" The Queen hummed lightly, pursing her lip as she leaned forward to inspect Tooth. "Quite a magnificent specimen. Beautiful, yet fierce… however, not as much so as I. Be gracious by my mercy to spare your life until those of Elsa and Alice Liddell are exterminated. For now, you shall serve a more important purpose." She straightened up, looking to Maharaja. "Your minions posted here have forged a cage for her upon your return. Place her in there so that I may begin my interrogation."

"Tiim ee, minii Khatan!" Maharaja responded, chuckling darkly as he grabbed Tooth by her throat, dragging her over to the cage as his minions chattered and screeched. Some threw rocks and other objects at her as they walked by, Tooth wincing and trying to cover her face with her hands. She winced, grunting a bit as she was tossed into the metal cage that hung a couple feet off the ground. It had been welded to a post up against the mountain wall, Maharaja securing the chain before taking a step back.

"Leave us." The Queen said, all but she, Eliza, and some monkey men remaining in the area as she approached the cage. The Queen motioned for a few minions to approach the cage, posted on either side as they held a metal pole with a pair of prongs at the one end. Eliza stood farther back, watching in silence. "This shall be quite simple, Fairy." She paced around the front of the cage, Tooth watching her warily. "I shall ask you a question. Answer the questions honestly. If you do not, or you refuse, you shall suffer the consequences." The Queen stopped, her eyes bearing into Tooth's. "I will begin with an easy one. The nymph in the forest… I have learned her relation to Pitch Black. However, Maharaja had informed me she does have past limited interactions with the guardians. What are the conditions of those interactions?"

Tooth sat up, anger growing in her features. "If you think I'm going to betray my fellow guardians, you must be dreaming."

The Queen chuckled mockingly, grinning. "My dear, in a few moments, you are going to wish you were dreaming." She nodded firmly to the two minions, the two grinning maliciously as they extended their poles, the prongs sparking with electricity as Tooth cried out painfully. The spots they jabbed left the feathers in those areas a bit charred, falling to her knees and gripping the bars of the cage as she trembled. "No longer accustomed to pain from living in your lofty palace, are you? This shall be a reminder. I tell you now, you shall either answer my questions or every last feather shall be reduced to ashes upon the ground."

Eliza smiled darkly in the background, Tooth furrowing her brows as she glanced over at the young girl.

"What did you do to Eliza?" Tooth asked in a strained voice. "She was such a sweet child, what did you do to turn her against us?" She screamed, her whole body shaking as she was shocked again.

"I'm the one who will be asking the questions here!" The Queen exclaimed. "Now, disclose the conditions of the nymph's interactions with the guardians!" Tooth slowly looked up at the Queen, her eyes narrowed in a deep scowl. She tightened her lips a bit, refusing to answer the question. At this, the Queen shrugged. "Well… we'll just have to break you into this mold, won't we? While that happens, I shall attend to other matters. The answers shall come in time of how to proceed." She waved her hands at the minions, turning to walk away.

Tooth glanced on either side of her, whimpering as she tried to evade the poles. She had very little space to really move to avoid them, her wings flapping frantically. After a minute or two, one minion screeched as he managed to jab her, Tooth crying out as she fell to the bottom of the cage with a thud. As she nursed the side that got jabbed, she screamed as she was only jabbed more in her idle position. She begged for them to stop to no avail, her eyes watering as she managed to see Eliza staring at her from a bit of distance away. She bit her lip, crying as she was shocked again on her leg.

"Eliza… please…" Tooth whimpered, pain searing throughout her body now. "… you've got to snap out of it… please… help us…" She screamed again as she was shocked harshly on her back, falling forward and curling up on the bottom of the cage.

As Tooth's cries echoed throughout the mountain, the Queen chuckled to herself. She knew with enough persistence, she would break the beautiful fairy. In that moment, everything she envisioned, draining Alice's life, slaughtering Elsa, creating not just a kingdom, but an empire of her own, was all slowly coming to fruition.

It was then that she felt a sudden lurching within her.

Having come completely out of the blue, she gasped, staggering a bit as her confident strut was abruptly halted. The Queen's brows twisted with confusion, her breath hitching as one of her large hands slowly moved to rest on her stomach; wherever that managed to fit in with her complicated anatomy. She tried to concentrate on uncovering the source of the occurrence, but was interrupted when Turbo approached her.

"Hey, finally some action going on around here, huh?" He chuckled, raising a brow. "Uh… you okay? You're looking at me funny."

The Queen cleared her throat, forcing herself to stand upright as she attempted to sustain a serious demeanor. "I'm perfectly well, you just interrupted my thoughts."

"Oh, well jeez, not a mind reader, toots." Turbo rolled his eyes. "I just wanted to ask, these cybugs are getting antsy and they're getting on my nerves too. Can I, I don't know, take them out for a spin or something?"

"Very well, remain within the parameter." The Queen responded.

"Thanks… hey, want to come?" Turbo asked.

The Queen blinked at him for a moment inhaling sharply. "No… thank you. I have… things to do."

"Okay, suit yourself." Turbo said before looking behind him. "Rosie. Rosie!" A pink cybug appeared then, chirping to him. "Round everyone up so we can go stretch our wings out. And hurry up!" The cybug chirped again happily, scurrying off to find the others.

As they headed off, the Queen walked quickly to her own isolated area, crouching down as she pricked a bit of her blood. Allowing it to collect, she sniffed it briefly before tasting it. She narrowed her eyes for a moment, suddenly gasping when she registered something. She glanced around, hugging herself lightly.

"Curse my negligence… curse its vulnerability!" She hissed in a whisper, taking a moment to collect herself before getting to her feet.

* * *

It was evening, Sandy sighing as he waved his hand. A sand image of Tooth appeared before him, the dream guardian frowning deeply as his heart longed for her. A shifting beside him made him glance over briefly, biting his lip as he whisked his hand to make the sand image dissolve into the air.

"It wasn't bothering me, you know." Pitch said, Sandy giving him a look. "As much as I still resent you, I must agree that I would be the same way if Elsa and I were apart."

Sandy's expression softened. He had felt uncomfortable allowing the King of Nightmares look into his mind, but at least felt more reassured that Alice and Jack had been there to monitor things.

"By the way… the reason I was cross with Jack isn't because he was laughing at us. As annoying as that was, he did have a point with what he said." Pitch spoke. "It is true… look at us. You and I, a man of dreams and a man of nightmares, two of the greatest opposing forces in the universe, standing side by side, as equals. It is as if we have been allies for our lifetime. Who would have thought such a ludicrous notion?"

Sandy raised his brows, shrugging lightly as he looked up at the tree tops. He could at least appreciate Pitch's efforts in trying to speak to him civilly.

"Anyhow… the reason why I am cross with Jack is because of a suspicion I have of him." Pitch's expression darkened a bit then. "I am aware of how far back your friendship with my daughter goes. An uneasy alliance with the two of us, fierce enemies to one another. You must know that I care for her deeply, Sanderson." Pitch glanced over at him. "I would take away all of her pain if I could… and I know that I am the greatest cause of it." He frowned lightly. "However… I shall not tolerate a courtship between her and Jack Frost. As ironic as it seems, I want her to remain pure forever."

Sandy blinked for a moment, unable to contain himself as he burst into silent laughter, rocking back and forth on the log they were sitting on. Pitch was shocked at the reaction, growling from insult.

"You presume that it is AMUSING that my daughter goes off with just anyone she encounters, do you?!" Pitch exclaimed angrily.

Sandy waved his hands for a moment, forming sand pictures to convey that Jack and Emily do NOT have a thing for each other; the notion was hilarious to him.

"Oh, sure, that's what they WANT everyone to think. I am her father, she told me exactly what she thought of him. You have NO idea what it's like to care for a child, Sanderson." Pitch huffed.

Sandy stopped laughing at that, slowly looking up at Pitch while wearing a flat expression.

Pitch understood what Sandy was conveying, waving a hand at him as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, you know what I mean!"

Sandy smirked lightly, shaking his head a bit as he conjured a sleeping cap to put on his head. He gave Pitch a small wave, floating over to the shelter to get some well needed rest.

Pitch got up, about to head to his own when he saw Jack heading into the shelter, glancing around. He saw Pitch staring at him, raising a brow.

"… Evening, Pitch…" Jack greeted.

"… Evening, Frost." Pitch replied, standing up straight. "Rest well."

"Uh… yeah, you too." Jack replied, entering the shelter.

Pitch grumbled, seating himself on the log with his arms crossed, staring at the shelter.

Inside, Jack settled in next to Alice, who smiled lightly when he kissed her. "Jeez, Pitch is so paranoid."

"Were you able to sneak Bunny out of camp without him knowing?" Alice asked.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing, he's definitely suspicious of ME." Jack rolled his eyes.

"At least he won't try to track down Bunny. I hope everything turns out alright…" She paused for a moment. "… for his sake." Alice added.

"Yeah." Jack winked, moving a bit closer to snake an arm around her shoulders. Alice looked into his eyes, giggling quietly before being silenced by his lips capturing hers.

Meanwhile, Bunny heaved a sigh, wringing his hands together as he made his way deeper into the forest.

"Okay… just going to say… 'Em, I want you to be straightforward with me. No riddles, no dancing around the subject. Just be blunt.' No, no… she may get angry… 'Em, I would really appreciate if you told me exactly what's going on, so we can be on the same page.' No, then she may think I'm lecturing… oh, this is going to be a disaster! Um… 'Em, I really like being friends with you, and…' oh Bunny, you are such a dumb bloke…" He groaned, tugging on his ears.

As he continued to mumble to himself, he stopped when he approached the familiar sight of thick vegetation stretching around a finite area. He cleared his throat, blinking a bit as the vegetation slowly retracted in front of him to make an opening to enter. Taking a deep breath, he mustered his bravery as he puffed out his chest, the vegetation closing behind him after he entered. After taking a few steps, he watched as the stepping stones surfaced from the stream, allowing him easy passage across to the other side. As he was traveling across, he slowed as the gradual sound of something lovely hit his hears. He pondered for a few moments what it could be, until he realized the answer.

It was singing.

When he reached the other side, his expression softened when he saw Emily under the weeping willow, knelt down before it. She was looking upwards, her back facing him. Bunny's heart skipped a beat; he never knew that Emily could sing, let alone so beautiful. His ears stood upright, taking in the words.

 _Where are you this moment; only in my dreams._

 _You're missing , but you're always a heartbeat from me._

 _I'm lost now without you , I don't know where you are._

 _I keep watching , I keep hoping , but time keeps us apart._

 _Is there a way I can find you, is there a sign I should know?_

 _Is there a road I could follow, to bring you back home?_

 _Winter lies before me, now you're so far away._

 _In the darkness of my dreaming, the light of you will stay._

 _If I could be close beside you, if I could be where you are._

 _If I could reach out and touch you, and bring you back home._

 _Is there a way I can find you, is there a sign I should know?_

 _Is there a road I could follow, to bring you back home to me?_

Bunny exhaled slowly, watching her as she placed a gentle hand upon the tree's bark.

"Mother…" She spoke quietly. "… I am deeply troubled. My heart seeks to be placed in his hands, but… I do not know if it is right. I have known him for so long, but only vaguely. I… want to know what happiness feels like, mother, but…" Emily closed her eyes for a moment, bowing her head. "… am I taking the right path?"

Bunny furrowed his brows lightly, but widened his eyes in awe when from the top of the tree, bright beams of light shone down upon Emily. When she looked up, the visage of a woman bathed in moonlight, her pale hair hanging about her ivory skin and crystal blue eyes, lowered to stand before Emily.

"My precious daughter… do not fret over objections which are not your own." Lady Pitchiner spoke. "I see your heart. The love you feel, and the love felt for you, is true. It is simply hesitant." She bent down, gently lifting Emily's face. "My beautiful flower… my time in the mortal world has long ended, but it is not so for you. My happiness and longevity lives on through you. I wish for you to be blessed with both."

Emily looked up at Lady. "I want nothing more than to eliminate any lingering rift between he and I. But father… he-"

"Is still clouded by the darkness that afflicts him." Lady interrupted. "Deep down, he means well… but he still goes about it in the wrong way. My dear girl… you decide what is the right path."

Emily nodded, closing her eyes as Lady leaned forward to place a kiss upon her forehead. As she did, her form dissolved into light in the air.

A few moments past, Bunny taking a step forward and daring to speak. "... Em?"

Emily gasped, practically scrambling to her feet as she whirled around. She had moved so fast, it even surprised her when she tripped over herself. Bunny dashed forward, reaching out his arms to hold her steady. She glanced up at him, taking a moment to regain her stance before Bunny cleared his throat, awkwardly taking a step back.

"How long had you been standing there?" Emily asked after a minute or two passed.

"A few minutes, maybe..." Bunny answered. He noticed Emily was trying to maintain her composure, but could see in her eyes that, for the first time he had seen since he had known her, she seemed nervous. "Emily... why do you love me? I just... I want to know why me, why now..."

Emily folded her hands in front of him, holding her head up as her hair levitated. "Bunnymund, you and I both have endured the suffering of the ill consequences of war. You went on to translate that suffering into a foundation of which you built your life upon filling that void with giving to others. You emerged from your suffering by providing joy to children, and you yourself feel joy from it. But for myself... as the years passed, my anger, sadness and disappointment festered. I wanted to hurt people; it is why I was trapped within a star by Typhan. I failed to live to his standard... I had become no better than my father. After coming to Earth... I fought to claim this land, and became further withdrawn." She looked up into his eyes. "Until now... until I have come to know just a fraction of your character, I did not make this realization because I did not give you, any of the guardians other than Sanderson, a second thought."

Bunny's ears lowered a bit. "Em... it doesn't have to stay this way. I mean, look at this place... you can make... really beautiful things. You can bring joy to others too."

"My work would not be appreciated. Humans are... they overlook the beauty of nature. They see is as a resource for survival or as a burden, nothing more." Emily said.

"Okay. There's your problem. You're so pessimistic." Bunny said.

Emily sighed, her spine stiffening. "Bunnymund... I have been tormented in my indecision. I have fought against all hindrances; my father's disapproval, our surmountable difference in poise and behaviors, our opposite outlooks upon life, and I have resolved to settle my heart and grant it relief."

Bunny may not have spoken with highbrow words, but he was smart enough to understand the gest of what she was saying. He furrowed a brow, shaking his head. "So that's it then? All of these riddles and games I played to get to the answer... and the answer is that you love me to make yourself feel better?"

Emily exhaled sharply. "Bunnymund, perhaps I'm not explaining myself correctly. I am well aware that... the cause of your suffering all those years ago was my father. I was expressing my own obstacles in the hopes that perhaps I would find that you would overcome your own to-"

"So you just pity me, is that it?" He asked, holding his hands out. "I can fend for myself. I- I may not be as smart or as proper as you, but I know how to handle myself. I should have known this was some big rouse. You don't really love me, Emily. You don't know how to love." He took a step back, turning to leave.

He felt so frustrated; deep down, he had really began to feel something. How dare she make HIM feel bad? As he made his way to the stepping stones, about to storm across them when a sound hit his ears that made him stop dead in his tracks.

"I truly am doomed to suffer with my own wretched heart forever..." Emily spoke barely above a whisper, falling to her knees as her color changed to a deep blue. She closed her eyes, her face twisting as she could not restrain the sudden swell of emotion within her. Tears rolled down her cheeks, quiet crying eventually escalating into wailing.

Bunny turned around, his ears pinning against his head as shock filled him. Never, ever, had he seen Emily so vulnerable. The more distressed she became, the more he regretted saying what he did. He exhaled lightly, slowly approaching her as sobs ripped through her chest.

"Em...?" He called out quietly, crouching down in front of her.

"Leave me be... please..." She begged.

Bunny was so accustomed to her pride and arrogance that his heart actually sank seeing her this way; even more so that he had been the cause. "Em, come on... I'm sorry. Maybe I'm a little pessimistic too, huh? Go on, call me a hypocrite. I can take it."

"No, Bunnymund. I am the daughter of your family's murderer. I have realized I am undeserving of you. How selfish I have been to attempt to ask you for your heart. I have resolved to live forever with his burden upon my shoulders." She glanced to the side. "I wish you a safe and successful journey, Bunnymund. I have tried to fight the pain which afflicts to me, but I shall take responsibility for what he has done, what I have done. I shall take it all unto myself and diminish." Emily said.

Bunny frowned deeply, looking around him as the unearthly beauty and glow of her sanctuary began to dull slowly, as if it was disappearing with her. She closed her eyes, her color greying as she hung her head. His heart began to beat faster, panicking. As she began to release her life, his hands shot forward, no longer thinking rationally as he pulled her face upward, crashing his lips onto hers. Emily's eyes widened from the contact, her greying essence transitioning quickly to a color she had never enveloped before; pink. Bunny broke the kiss after a few moments, staring longingly into her eyes upon realizing what he had done.

"You are not going anywhere, Emily Jane." He said firmly. "You told your mom you wanted to close the rift between us, well here I am."

"But Bunnymund, you are right..." Emily's voice shook. "I do not know how to love..."

Bunny sighed, mentally kicking himself. "Come on Em, this isn't you. You're strong, you're fierce, you don't take anyone's dung. I was being a stupid wombat." He looked up at her regretfully. "But hey... maybe I could teach you... and you can teach me some manners, huh?"

Emily blinked, and surprisingly, she actually chuckled through her tears at that. "Refraining from scratching your ear with your hind leg would be a start."

Bunny snickered, sighing contently. "Emily... you know why we have different lives? After I lost my family, I became a guardian. I had friends, I had the children... people believed in me, still do. But after you lost yours... you didn't have that."

"I destroyed an innocent ship." Emily said.

"Typhan threw you away. I'm sorry, but he did." Bunny said.

"He punished me for my sin." Emily said.

"You don't believe in yourself." Bunny said firmly. "So you don't believe in anyone else."

Emily stared at him, this moment of clarity making her mind go blank for a moment. "... and you...?"

"I didn't a few minutes ago... and I have no idea what I would have done if you gave your life up for it." Bunny frowned.

"Will you have my heart, Bunnymund... and all of me and who I am with it?" Emily asked.

Bunny smiled crookedly. "Em, I don't care whose daughter you are... whose enemy I am... where either of us come from. Yes... I'll take it."

Emily's entire demeanor changed, new tears swelled in her eyes, but they were ones of happiness. She leaned her forward, taking his hands in hers as she kissed him. Bunny held her close, his hands threading through her silky hair. Small, sweet kisses soon lingered on a bit longer, delving deeper, their love finally taking shape. As they knelt together in the soft grass, only the soothing sound of the waterfall could be heard. As they broke for air, Emily breathed in deep as she rested her forehead against his.

"Bunnymund... I wish to seal our bond... to forge it unbroken for all time." She whispered.

"Uh... okay?" Bunny tilted his head.

Emily gave him a bit of a flat look, though maintained some playfulness in it. "Must I spell out my intentions?" She asked, glancing down for a brief moment before looking into his eyes once more.

Bunny's eyes followed hers, raising his brow. "Oh. OH. I, uh..." He chuckled nervously then. "... you really uh... get straight to the point when you want to, huh?"

"It is only natural... as I am... as we are." She replied quietly, her small, slender fingers tracing along the sides of his face. "Are you willing to go forth with this?"

"Well Em, I am a bunny. It's just... this is all going so fast all of a sudden..." Bunny said.

"The journey to the waterfall can sometimes be a slow one... filled with obstacles and harsh trials. But once the edge is reached, the reward of being set free, to feel that thrill, it is worth the journey. It leaves one eager to begin the next." Emily said.

"Maybe you aren't so pessimistic after all." Bunny smirked.

"You have good influence upon me." Emily replied, smiling gently.

Bunny rested an arm around her shoulders, looking into her amber colored eyes. Many times he had seen such hostility in them, but not now. Now, he saw only gentleness. They were like a pair of suns, warm and inviting. As he tilted her head up for another kiss, he felt her nimble fingers undoing the belt strap around his shoulder, gently removing it and placing his weapons aside. When he opened his eyes again, he blinked a bit, noticing something different.

Emily's attire had a similar feature to Pitch's in that it was difficult to tell where exactly their skin ended and where their clothing began. Emily's dress, that seemed to flow in the wind like small ripples in a lake, also had somewhat of a translucent quality to it. As Bunny looked upon her, he noticed that the flowing material had vanished completely, Emily raising a brow at his expression and chuckling lightly. She was certainly full of surprises, Bunny thought to himself.

He drew her gently onto his lap, their chests becoming flush together as they started out with small, lingering kisses. They soon progressed into deeper, more passionate kisses, their arms wrapping tightly around one another. Emily broke the kiss after a while, exhaling audibly as she trailed kisses around his muzzle. She leaned back a bit then, allowing Bunny to feel her bare chest. He leaned forward, trailing kisses along her jawline and neck, Emily chuckling lightly as his ears tickled her face.

They progressed further, both of them becoming quite enamored as they stared into each other's eyes, entranced. Bunny cleared his throat, gently squeezing Emily's shoulders.

"Last chance to turn back." He smirked lightly.

"And wait another few hundred years for this opportunity to present itself again…? I don't think so." Emily barely managed to hold back a laugh.

A hush fell over them when they realized that what was about to happen next would be irreversible, it would be the most intimate and sacred act that could ever transpire between them. Their breathing became a bit deeper, but still steady, and Bunny reached down to hold one of her hands, reassuring her. The initial motion was slow, careful, Emily taking her time as Bunny helped guide her hips down. Once the resistance was broken, Emily emitted a light gasp, Bunny gently shushing her as he moaned lightly from the sensation. After a few moments of stillness, their movements started off slow, still cautious, getting a feel for what felt right. As time went on, everything began to quicken, they became more and more desperate to satisfy the increasing desire they had for each other. Their lips crashed for about a minute before Emily let her head fall back, crying out Bunny's name into the night as their lust piqued. Luckily for them, they were out of ear shot from the encampment, the two of them taking a moment to catch their breath.

Still holding her tightly to him, Bunny allowed himself to rest back, exhaling deeply as he felt the soft grass and moss cushion him. Emily's hands gently threaded through his chest fur, her head resting upon his shoulder as she was comforted by his rhythmic breathing. There was a tranquil quiet between them for some time, finally broken as Bunny massaged her upper back with his left hand.

"It would be nice if I didn't have to leave." He spoke quietly, gazing up at the stars.

"Then stay." Emily replied. "We can remain in each other's company for as long as we wish."

Bunny sighed then. As much as he would like that at this point, he knew in his heart that he could not. As the wave of euphoria withdrew, it left reality in its wake, slowly settling back in his mind. "I can't, Em. I still have a job to do."

Emily sat up a bit, reclining as she pet his face. "Then I shall remain by your side in battle."

"Huh?" Bunny glanced over at her. "I thought you said you weren't going to fight."

"Bunnymund... you are my mate now, from this night until the end of time. Where you go, I shall follow. Where I remain, so shall you remain." Emily said.

"But... what about your dad? Didn't you make him some kind of promise?" Bunny asked.

Emily sighed, sitting up more as she hugged her knees to her. "I did. I made an oath to neither help nor hinder him. He had made a promise when I was a child that he would return for me; because of unforeseen circumstances, the promise was broken. I suppose the same could be same in this instance."

"Guess your neutrality is over then, huh?" Bunny asked.

"I suppose it is. I sense a great change upon the wind. It is calm now, but something is coming." Emily said. "You could always resolve to remain here... enjoy paradise for eternity."

"No, Em... the others are depending on me. I can't let them down." Bunny replied.

Emily nodded lightly. "Very well. In that case, you must rest and save your strength."

"I want to stay awake for a little longer though." Bunny chuckled.

"Absolutely not. You cannot neglect your rest one day before battle. I shall help you enter sleep." Emily said, resuming her reclining position as she gently pet the top of his head.

"Okay, okay, fine..." Bunny smiled lightly. "I could get used to this..."

As Emily rolled her eyes playfully, she leaned down a bit, her face closer to his left ear as she began to sing quietly, beautifully.

 _Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby_

 _Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay_

 _And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow_

 _Bless you with love for the road that you go_

 _May you sail far to the far fields of fortune_

 _With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet_

 _And may you need never to banish misfortune_

 _May you find kindness in all that you meet_

As Bunny was soothed by the soft ringing of Emily's voice, her majestic elk trotted slowly up to the tranquil side of the lake that the waterfall poured into. He bent down, closing his eyes for a moment as he breathed upon the water. The act caused small ripples to form, travelling gently outward as they grew in size. As they did, small creatures began to splash about the path of the ripples, glowing brightly as their watery wings unfurled. The little water pixies took to flight, their soft, incoherent whispers filling the air as they dispersed. The small creatures perched upon any and all surfaces, bending down to plant a small kiss upon wherever they touched down. With each kiss, they left behind small drops of dew, dotting every leaf, every flower petal, every blade of grass. Bunny watched the small creatures with awe as Emily hummed to him lightly, chuckling a bit as one floated over to Emily. It nuzzled her cheek before leaving a small dew drop on her cheek, floating over to do the same to Bunny. It happily flew along, continuing to disperse dew among the others.

 _May there always be angels to watch over you_

 _To guide you each step of the way_

 _To guard you and keep you safe from all harm_

 _Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay_

 _May you bring love and may you bring happiness_

 _Be loved in return to the end of your days_

 _Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you_

 _I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay_

 _May there always be angels to watch over you_

 _To guide you each step of the way_

 _To guard you and keep you safe from all harm_

 _Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay_

Bunny felt his eyelids become heavy, yawning as despite how hard he tried, he could not resist the lull of Emily's voice and her gentle petting on his head. He eventually became lost in it, drifting off to a peaceful sleep as Emily watched over him. As she gazed upon him lovingly, she realized in that moment that they had finally been blessed with what had been robbed of them many centuries ago.

* * *

 **I'm sure most of you are feeling quite mushy at this chapter's conclusion! Just to make everyone aware, the lyrics I used for this chapter are** ** _If I Could Be Where You Are_** **by Enya, and** ** _Sleepsong_** **by Secret Garden, so those songs were NOT written by me! Definitely take some time to listen to them, they are both very beautifully composed songs. Anyhow, thank you again for reading, and please stay tuned for more updates!**


	29. Impulsive Emotional Decisions

**Good evening, readers! Last time we left off on a rather blissfully comforting note, but all of that will soon change in this chapter. What is in store for our heroes this time? Read and find out! And you know the deal by now, please relax and enjoy!**

* * *

Vanellope yawned, covering her mouth after having a nice breakfast with Ralph. After being asked by Elsa to seek out Pitch, she wandered around camp in search for him. When she finally spotted him, she stopped, blinking when she noticed he was seated in the same spot he was the night before, leaning up against his staff as he snored lightly. Vanellope snickered at this, shaking her head as she walked over, hopping up to sit next to him. She took out a small bag of gummy bears from her hoodie's pocket, taking one out to toss it at his head.

"Hey." She said, tossing a second. "Wake up. Hey, Boogerman, wake up!"

Pitch jolted awake then, scrambling a bit as he comically grabbed his scythe. "What is it? What's going on?" He winced when Vanellope threw another gummy bear at him. "Will you stop that?!"

"Hey, I could have been REALLY mean and used jawbreakers instead." Vanellope laughed. "What the heck are you doing out here anyway? Did you stay out here all night?"

"What do you mean did I stay out here all-" Pitch gasped, glancing up to see sunlight peeking through the trees. "For the love of darkness, how long was I- ohhh he had better still be in there!" Pitch growled, getting to his feet and marching over to Jack and Alice's shelter.

"What in the heck is with you?" Vanellope asked, giggling. "Did you go bananas?"

"Shh! Stay quiet, I need to just see something." He said, Vanellope raising a brow as she gave him a flat look. She shrugged, deciding to entertain him as she followed him quietly. He approached the shelter, slowly peeking in to see Alice and Jack curled up under a blanket, Sandy levitating in his sleep on the other side of the small structure. He sighed inaudibly, glancing back to look at Vanellope. "Alright... I've seen what we need to see, we can move away now-"

"If you're trying to be discreet, Pitch, you're doing a terrible job."

The Nightmare King jumped nearly a foot in the air, holding a hand over his heart. "For the love of- I'm supposed to be the one scaring others, not the other way around!" He huffed. "How was it you even noticed me, your eyes are closed!"

Alice cracked an eye open, smirking. "I have ears too, you know."

"Ugh... Pitch, can you shut up over there? I'm trying to sleep..." Jack groaned, covering his face with the blanket.

"Well excuse me for making sure that you aren't sneaking out with my daughter!" Pitch exclaimed, crossing his arms.

"You have got to be- Pitch, for the last time, I am NOT going out with Emily!" Jack groaned, sitting up and ruffling his own hair a bit. "Are you blind? I'm here, RIGHT here, with Alice! For the last time, I have no interest, absolutely none, whatsoever, in Emily!"

"Really? Then why is it she never returned to camp last night? How do I know you didn't sneak out of here when I finally fell asleep?" Pitch asked.

"I think Jack knows perfectly well that he would suffer me if he were to do such a thing. Honestly Pitch, this is becoming quite exhausting." Alice said.

"Well, I will inform you that she admitted to me, herself, that she has set her sights on YOUR boyfriend!" Pitch exclaimed.

"You know... I thought you were a little smarter than that." Alice raised a brow.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Pitch asked.

"... okay, I have NO idea what you guys are talking about, so I'm just gonna tell Elsa that Pitch is just being a nutty bar as usual." Vanellope said, turning around to walk away.

Alice chuckled lightly. "Pitch, think rationally for a moment. If Emily was trying to pursue someone she KNOWS you would never approve of, would she just blatantly admit her affections for such a person to you?"

Pitch opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated, holding his index finger up as his eyes widened. Alice's question sunk in, slowly closing his mouth to ponder for a moment. "I'm quite impressed by your deduction, Alice Liddell."

Alice smirked. "I communicate with creatures who speak in nothing but riddles, it certainly helps to sharpen that skill."

"Well if that's the case, then why on Earth would she tell me she is pursuing Frost when-" Pitch stopped then, dread coming over him when a very disturbing thought entered his mind. He took a step forward, glancing around the shelter before looking over at Alice. "Where is Bunnymund?"

Alice pursed her lip, shrugging. "No idea."

Pitch tensed significantly then, going over and prodding Jack with the end of his scythe. "Frost, tell me where he is this instant!"

"Pitch, I'm not his babysitter, now buzz off!" Jack groaned, rolling over so his back was facing the Nightmare King. He nudged Alice as she snickered lightly, trying to hide a smile. It was wiped off his face when he felt himself being hoisted out, protesting audibly as he was dragged outside. He grunted when he was dropped to the ground, Pitch's eye twitching as he clenched his fists.

"Do not think me ignorant of your friendship with that sneaky rat!" He shouted. "You are his partner in crime and I know that YOU know where he is! If I find that you are facilitating a meeting between him and my daughter, you shall suffer the consequences of my wrath!"

"Jeez, your threats sound an awful lot like the Queen, how do I know you don't have a thing for her, huh?" Jack snapped as he got up to dust himself off, squeaking when he was forced back against a tree.

"I warn you, Frost, I am THIS close to taking a chip off the ice block!" Pitch seethed, swiping a finger across his neck. "You shall help me locate them NOW!"

"Alright, alright!" Jack shouted, holding his hands up. "You're even more of a pain now than you were when you were trying to take over the globe!"

"Just keep up!" Pitch snapped, making his way deeper into the forest.

Meanwhile, Bunny slowly blinked his eyes open, the sun rays gently warming his face. His ears flickered a bit, sitting up and stretching his arms. When he became more alert, he blinked in surprise as surrounding him in almost a nest like fashion, dozens upon dozens of roses spread outwards from his spot. He followed where they had gone with his eyes, traveling up along the weeping willow and the blossom trees. "Wow..." He breathed, glancing back when he felt Emily kneel behind him to hug his shoulders.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked.

"Yeah... you definitely helped." Bunny chuckled. "We should head back."

"Yes..." She sighed lightly. "Someone is sure to have realized our absence by now." She rose to her feet, Bunny joining her as they headed to the stepping stones. Once they exited her sanctuary, the vegetation closed behind them as they began their trek back.

Jack heaved a loud sigh as he dragged along, letting his head hang forward for a few minutes.

"Emily? Emily!" Pitch called out, his eyes scanning through the trees. "Come forth this instant!"

"You know, you think it's possible that maybe they eloped and can't hear you?" Jack asked in an annoyed tone.

Pitch whipped his head around to shoot Jack a death glare, not uttering a word before resuming his path forward.

As Bunny and Emily were making their way back, Emily stopped when she heard her father's voice in the distance. Bunny's ears immediately pinned against his head, panicking a bit as he looked over at her.

"Em, if he sees us together, he's going to-"

"He shall do nothing." Emily looked over at him seriously. "No more hiding, Bunnymund. It is time to make our union known." Emily said.

"Emily, there will BE no union if we do that because he's going to boil me over an open flame!" Bunny exclaimed.

"I do not care if he objects. I shall not allow harm to come to you if he attempts to do so." Emily said.

"Alright, I'm going to take your word on that one..." He replied, smiling lightly when Emily took his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Emily Jane Pitchiner, if you do not show yourself this instant, I'll-" Pitch stopped when he caught a glimpse of her in the distance, doing a double take when he saw that Bunny was with her. His blood boiled, his jaw tightened as he stormed over towards them.

Meanwhile, Ralph followed Elsa and Alice as she tried to catch up to where Pitch had went. "Uh, why are we doing this again?" Ralph asked.

"Because I don't want him murdering anyone while we still have a war to wage tomorrow; also, I'm not quite comfortable with him dragging Jack into the middle of the forest with no witnesses." Alice said.

They spotted Jack up ahead, the ice guardian resolving to hang back a bit as Pitch approached Emily and Bunny.

"Has he gone on a rampage yet?" Ralph asked. "From what Alice was saying, Pitch seemed pretty angry."

"No, but I have a feeling he might in a few minutes though..." Jack said, glancing back towards them.

Pitch glared darkly at Bunny for a moment before looking at Emily. "You and I need to have a discussion."

"So discuss what you must, father." Emily replied, her expression serious.

"I would prefer to have a discussion with you alone." Pitch said through clenched teeth.

"Absolutely not." Emily replied.

Pitch's eyes gravitated down, seething when he saw she and Bunny were holding hands. While Emily stared right at him, Bunny averted his gaze to the ground.

"I realize that you have been lying to me, Emily." Pitch said.

"Took him long enough to realize it..." Jack muttered, Alice nudging his arm lightly.

Pitch continued. "I don't know why you think you have the right to deliberately go against the very words I asked you to heed, but I will not allow this relationship to continue! No more sneaking off, no more lies and deception. I will not have my daughter give herself over to some pathetic excuse for-"

"If you speak against him you speak against me!" Emily shouted, becoming angry. "You speak to me as if I am incapable of the simplest thought!"

"I am doing what is best for you, I will do everything in my power to-"

"I am not a little girl anymore, father!" She exclaimed. "I can make my own decisions, and I have!"

Pitch narrowed his eyes. "Be that as it may, I will still not give you my blessing. Now you shall follow me back and we shall discuss how to address this."

"There will be no further discussions, father, for it is no longer necessary." Emily said.

"My patience is wearing thin, Emily, I am putting an end to this before it progresses any further!" Pitch shouted.

"It is far too late for that, father." Emily said in calm, but serious tone.

Pitch stopped, tilting his head a bit warily. "What do you mean by that?" His eyes widened a bit as his whole form tensed. "Emily... what did you do?"

With a confident air, Emily held her head high as she spoke. "Bunny and I have proclaimed our love to each other this night past. We became one to seal our eternal bond. With the Man in the Moon as witness, we are now mated. It is done."

As Pitch stood absolutely still, looking upon them with pure loathing, Ralph's eyes widened as his mouth hung open. "No way..."

Jack's brows raised as high as they could go, smiling crookedly as he nodded slowly. "Nice job Bunny, but it was nice knowing you."

"Not helping, Jack..." Bunny mumbled lowly, shooting Jack a look.

Pitch's facial muscles tightened, detailing every ounce of his tension. "You did... what?" When Emily simply stared at him, his fists clenched. His eyes darted over to Bunny, who was trying more than anything to avoid looking at the enraged Nightmare King. "You..." He growled, taking a step towards him and Emily's spine stiffened in response. "You... defiled... my daughter...?"

Bunny exhaled deeply, holding his other hand up in defense. "Look Pitch, we just love each other, alright? We didn't do this to spite you or anything. So just calm down, alright?"

"Calm down, you ask? CALM DOWN?! You violated the purity and the divinity of MY daughter, you FILTHY RAT!" Pitch shouted.

"Pitch..." Elsa whispered lightly, stepping forward to take his arm lightly. "Please, just... don't-"

"Elsa, keep your distance, this is not your confrontation." He said, briefly glancing at her.

Emily spoke up then. "There shall be no confrontation, father. If you would simply see past your ridiculous prejudice, you would-"

"Prejudice?! I will have you know, I will have you BOTH know, that I relished in destroying nearly the entire Pooka race; my only regret is that I did not destroy YOU so that you would not plot your scheme of vengeance against me!" He jabbed a finger at Bunny. "Your entire race was putrid, lowly, uncivilized, and offered absolutely no contributions or advancements towards that which would be considered significant to a higher class of immortal being! Why, the very makeup of your disgusting species is laughable, the only reason why that battle was one of my most difficult because of your savage and primitive means of survival almost managed to surpass my proficiency and skill!"

Bunny's expression changed drastically, gritting his teeth as his chest puffed in and out. He was about to lunge at the Nightmare King when a small motion stopped him; he felt the light squeeze of Emily's hand, glancing over to see her staring at him. She shook her head, Bunny furrowing his brows deeply as his eyes burned into Pitch's.

Emily shot a glare at Pitch. "You will not speak another ill word against him, father. You may either accept our union or you can-"

"Emily Pitchiner, you will hold your tongue this instant! Every word that has passed your lips since the inception of this outrage has been lies and blasphemy!" Pitch screamed.

"Alice, this is getting really bad, we really need to put a stop to this." Jack said.

"No, Jack. If we interfere it will only escalate more." Alice replied.

"Unlike you, Pitch, she and I know how to see past our differences. We're together now, so get used to it." Bunny spat.

Pitch suddenly cried out then, rearing his hands out to send a blast of black sand at Bunny. It never reached him however, Emily screaming as she let go of his hand to dive in front of him, waving her arm as an intense gust of wind deflected the attack.

"Get down!" Jack shouted, ducking down and holding Alice close as the force from the wind nearly blew them back. Ralph maintained his stance, shielding his face as he anchored himself.

"Father, do not force me to fight against you!" Emily shouted as Pitch threatened to attack again.

"You have already gone against me, you went against your entire bloodline to be with an ANIMAL!" Pitch exclaimed. "Now step aside!"

"NO!" Emily screamed.

Pitch tried to send another blast at Bunny, Emily waving her hands once against to use her winds to drive it away. A part of the blast managed to graze the side of Pitch's face when it was deflected; this drove Pitch past the breaking point. As he whirled back around from the impact, Emily's eyes widened as she was suddenly driven to the ground from the force of his backhand. Everything seemed to stop in that moment, the air stilling, a thick tension lingering upon it. Pitch's breathing was slightly labored as he stood a bit hunched over.

"Em...?!" Bunny cried, getting down at his knees to bend over her. She was sitting up, gasping lightly as her hand held the side of her face. As much as her right cheek stung, her heart stung tenfold as she slowly looked toward her father, eyes wide with shock and distress.

"You struck me." She spoke in a hushed whisper.

Pitch's blind anger began to dissipate, his expression softening as he glanced down upon his right hand. "I told you to step out of the way." He said in a softer tone, but still maintained firmness.

Everyone, except perhaps not as much so for Alice, looked at Pitch in a stunned silence. Emily slowly, but shakily, rose to her feet, Bunny gently helping her to them. She continued to stare at Pitch, a deep hurt in her expression as the right side of her lip swelled slightly. "I am your daughter... for better or for worse..." She began to tremble. "... you are not supposed to hurt me."

In that moment a tear ran down her injured cheek, but it did not come from her eyes. Everyone glanced up as rain clouds gathered, followed by the sound of pitter pattering on the ground. Alice quietly took out and opened her umbrella as the raindrops fell, Pitch's heart beginning to sink.

"Emily... I am sorry. I was so very hurt myself... I was unable to control-"

"Hurt? From what, father, from loving? From me simply loving another, something you do not understand?!" Emily screamed. "I did not approve of your engagement with the mortal queen, but I never fathomed retaliating against you as you have done against me!"

"Emily, unlike HIM, Elsa is NOT your worst enemy-"

"I LOVED YOU!" She shrieked, everyone jumping a bit as thunder crashed loudly in the sky. "Even through all the bitterness... and the anger... and the disappointment, a small fraction of me, loved you... like a silly little girl."

Pitch frowned deeply, attempting to approach her. "My dear girl, I never wanted this to happ-" He hesitated when Emily took a step back, still maintaining her stance, but her eyes revealed everything she was feeling.

Pain. Despair. FEAR.

Yes, Pitch could see a flicker of fear in her eyes. Never, not in all the centuries she had lived, not before or after he had become the Nightmare King, never had he once disciplined her with his hand. Out of all the times Emily knew the sting of physical pain, from all of the battles and the fighting and her struggles here on Earth, never had felt more painful than the blow dealt to her just now. Bowing her head, Emily's voice once again fell to a hushed whisper as she allowed Bunny to hug her shoulders.

"Leave us be." She spoke.

"Jack, Ralph." Alice said lowly, nodding her head towards the direction of camp. Ralph frowned lightly, following Alice as they took their leave. Jack paused for a moment, glancing at Bunny. When he gave Jack a reassuring nod, the guardian resumed following Alice back to the encampment.

When Pitch was about to protest, Elsa stepped forward, taking his hand.

"Pitch, she needs some time to herself." Elsa said.

He sighed, giving Emily one more glance before regretfully turning to leave with Elsa. As they walked, she hooked her arm around his as it hung at his side. As she opened her mouth to say something, Pitch halted, shooting her a look.

"This is none of your concern, Elsa." He spoke lowly.

Elsa blinked, frowning. "I was just going to ask if you were alright-"

"Of course I'm not alright!" He snapped.

"Then tell me how I can help." Elsa responded.

"You cannot help, Elsa. Emily is MY daughter, NOT yours." He replied.

Elsa narrowed her eyes then. "Fine. I'll go on my own then, since I'm of little significance to you."

As she made her way ahead of him, Pitch heaved a sigh. "Elsa, you know that's not what I-" When she didn't stop, he clenched his teeth, shutting his eyes for a moment. He stormed off in a random direction, the pressure building up inside of him before letting it out in an angered, frustrated cry. After its echo dissipated, he exhaled slowly. "The women in my life are going to be the very death of me!" He exclaimed. When he looked up, he noticed he was at the edge of the forest, walking forward to take a closer look at what lay beyond. He tilted his head as he gazed upon the concaved mountain in the distance, pursing his lips. When a thought formed in his mind, he glanced behind him briefly before continuing past the remaining trees, making his way across the barren, ominous landscape.

* * *

"Merida..." Hiccup bit his lip, struggling a bit against his bonds as he watched her with increasing panic. The deep cut that Hans had left on her leg had bled profusely, leaving a large puddle around her feet as she began to slump over. Her face was paling, her eyelids becoming heavy as she weakened from the blood loss. "Merida, just keep looking at me. Don't close your eyes. Stay with me…" Hiccup's voice cracked; he could not even reach his flame sword, his hands tightly restrained behind his back. His insides churned with the feeling of helplessness and desperation.

Rapunzel bit her lip, grunting as she tried to pry her hands out of her own binds, but the rope was tied so tightly around her wrists, it just wasn't possible. She was so focused on trying to get out, knowing if she could get to Merida, there was a chance to heal her before it was too late. Doing so however, she failed to notice that as Eugene tightened his lips in concentration, a small dagger he kept in his sleeve was slowly working its way into slicing the ropes tied around his hands. His wrist moved steadily, carefully, keeping a tight grip on the small weapon. He would discreetly slide it back up his hand under his shirt sleeve when a card guard walked by to monitor them, resuming his diligent concentration when the coast was clear. When he felt the rope give, he exhaled slowly, relief washing over him. He glanced over at Rapunzel, Kristoff and Anna, discreetly getting their attention.

"Keep those guards distracted if they come around here again." He whispered, getting nods back in response. "I'm going to get Rapunzel undone so she can help Merida, but I need to get myself free first."

No sooner after he said those words, a card guard walked into the foyer area where they were, hissing lightly as it approached. As if their luck couldn't get any worse, it turned its attention to Eugene, seeming suspicious of him as he neared. They all tensed nervously, not knowing what to do to diverge the card guard. Suddenly, when it was a mere few feet away, Kristoff decided that now was the time to take desperate measures. Using all the strength he could muster, he used the toes of his feet to shove against the ground, toppling himself over as he fell to the side, the wooden chair clattering against the ground. The card guard hissed, going over towards him as he tried to scramble out of the ropes to no avail. Anna gasped lightly as the card guard hoisted the chair upright, growling lowly as it held its blade to his throat.

"No! Kristoff!" Anna screamed.

Just as Kristoff's doom seemed inevitable, the card guard halted as he lurched a bit, groaning for a moment before falling lifelessly to the side. Anna cried out in surprise as the now dead card guard's neck bled profusely. When she glanced over, she saw Eugene was quickly cutting Rapunzel's ropes.

"We have to hurry, I can hear more coming." Eugene said, Rapunzel rushing over to Merida and falling to her knees to heal her as quickly as she could. He proceeded with freeing Kristoff, Anna and Hiccup, tossing Kristoff a sword as Hiccup held Merida in his arms.

"Merida… listen to me, you're going to make it through this. Please hang on a little longer, you have to stay with me." Hiccup spoke as a tear ran down his cheek, a lump forming in his throat.

Rapunzel got to her feet a few moments later, Merida's blood soaking her hands and the hem of her dress. "Her wound is healed… but she's lost a lot of blood…" She said worriedly. "If she doesn't get medical attention soon… she still may die."

Suddenly, card guards swarmed the area, Hiccup holding Merida protectively to him.

"Form a circle! Keep the women behind us!" Kristoff shouted to Eugene, who nodded and moved quickly to usher Anna and Rapunzel to stand in back of them with Hiccup.

"No…" Rapunzel said, determination working its way into her features. "I'm not hiding anymore." She took one of Eugene's spare swords off his person. "I'm fighting with you."

"Me too!" Anna said, taking Kristoff's pick axe into her hands.

"Are you crazy?!" Kristoff exclaimed. "You don't know the first thing about how to fight in combat!"

"Maybe not, but maybe now is a good time to learn!" Anna responded, all of them bracing themselves as the card guards charged towards them.

As Eugene and Kristoff's swords clashed with the guards', Anna gasped as she swung the axe around, wincing as with beginner's luck, she sliced right into the card guard's chest. She cracked her eyes open, exclaiming in disbelief.

"Wow, I- I did it! I got one!" Anna beamed.

"Don't celebrate just yet, there's a lot more!" Rapunzel reminded, grunting as she ran to where Eugene was to slice the arm off of the guard he was fighting.

As all the battling ensued, Hiccup pressed his back against the wall, holding Merida in a heap in his lap. When he saw something out of the corner of his eyes, he gasped when two card guards ran up to where he was, trying to pry Merida away from him.

"No! Get your hands off of her!" Hiccup shouted, unsheathing his sword while hugging her close with his other arm in an attempt to ward them off. When they didn't let up, they overwhelmed him as they shoved him back. When they smuggled Merida away from him, Hiccup proceeded to use both his hands to get his unconscious fiancée back. "Give her back to me! Merida!"

More and more card guards seemed to just pour in, the group finding themselves in over their heads. Just when all hope seemed lost, the large, glass windows crashed inward, everyone shielding themselves as glass flew in all directions.

"You are all on naughty list!" North exclaimed, riding Toothless as Gustav flew in right behind on Fanghook.

As the dragons touched down, they began to claw and bite at the card guards, sending them every which way.

"Hey, where's Wick?" Gustav shouted over the chaos as he impaled a card guard with his axe.

"He is finishing up with bad guys outside so no more come in here! Trust me, he can handle himself!" North laughed heartily as he sliced through guards with his swords.

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried. "You have to help me get Merida, they took her that way!"

The dragon gave him a firm nod, shooting a glare behind him as he whipped his tail, sending two card guards flying into the wall. He then joined Hiccup in following where Merida had been taken.

"Hey!" Gustav shouted, running up to Kristoff. "North wants you guys to get out of here, we'll be able to get a bunch of these goons but he said if anyone from the Queen's army comes back here it won't be pretty!"

Kristoff gave him a nod, quickly locating Anna. "Come on, we have to round up the others so we can make an escape!"

Gustav hurried up the stairs with Hiccup, skidding to a stop when he caught a glimpse of red in one of the bedrooms. "Hiccup!"

The elder Viking entered the room behind Gustav as he emitted a loud cry, his axe embedding in the nearest card guard's forehead. Hiccup used his sword to slice through the others, who had been holding an unconscious Merida. Her hands and feet had been tied again, and the fireplace in the room had been illuminated. The card guards had been preparing to throw her into the fire before Hiccup got to them, Merida slumped against the wall when the card guards were slaughtered. As soon as their threat was averted, Hiccup fell to his knees to cut the ropes around her hands and feet. He pressed his ear to her chest, his eyebrows furrowing.

"She's barely breathing... we've got to get her out of here. Call Toothless, he's at the end of the hall." Hiccup said.

Gustav gave a firm nod, jumping to his feet. "Toothless! Down here, Merida's hurt really badly!"

The dragon perked up, having been keeping watch for any card guards planning to pursue them to the second floor from below. He bound down the hallway, stopping so that Hiccup could hurry over. As he mounted, Gustav helped him to get Merida safely on with him.

"Go back down to the others; make sure that you help Eugene and Kristoff get Anna and Rapunzel to safer ground. Go across the fjord and Kristoff has a small hut in the woods closer to the mountains. You should be safe there until North can get you back to his workshop." Hiccup said.

"Got it!" Gustav said. As he was about to head off, Hiccup called out to him once more, glancing back to hear him.

"… we owe you our lives, Gustav. You're a true Viking." Hiccup smiled proudly as him before Toothless took to flight, soaring out the broken window.

"Thanks, Hiccup." Gustav breathed as he smiled, running back down to the lower level to do what Hiccup had told him to. "Fanghook!" He called out to his dragon, who bowled through a group of card guards to get to him.

"Gustav, we have found everyone, where are Hiccup and Merida?" North asked, Wick having come inside the castle to help them.

"He took her on Toothless to get her help! He took one of the crystal necklaces to get to your workshop!" Gustav replied.

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here then! These things are starting to creep me out!" Eugene cried.

"How are we all supposed to fit on the dragon?" Rapunzel called out.

"Anna, I'll carry you!" Wick beamed. "That's what brothers are for!" Anna didn't even bother to protest, knowing her life depended on this. He scooped her up, flying out through the window.

"Come on, there's enough room for you guys now! Fanghook can handle it!" Gustav cried as he hopped on. Rapunzel, Eugene and Kristoff followed him. "North, what about you?"

"I shall fight my way back to sleigh of course! Do not worry, I can handle it, go!" He shouted.

The young Viking nodded, making sure the others were secure before taking off. North turned as card guards surrounded him, narrowing his eyes as he wielded his swords.

"Hey…!" Rapunzel shouted as they began to fly over the fjord. "Are you sure he'll be alright?"

Gustav sighed lightly, biting his lip. "I sure hope so… I'm going to drop you guys off somewhere safe and go back for him, just to make sure!"

He had faith that North could hold his own, but he was still wary of whether or not he could do so against an entire army. Gustav only hoped that he could get back in time to ensure North's survival.

* * *

 **Well, we certainly had some action with a dash of drama in this chapter, huh? Will they be able to save Merida in time? What is Pitch planning, and will Emily forgive him? Find out the answers to these and more in future chapters! Thank you for reading, and please stay tuned for more updates!**


	30. Encountering Painful Losses

**Good evening readers, and Happy Halloween! My holiday gift to all of you is- you guessed it- a brand new chapter for you to read! Last time we left off, we had witnessed our heroes in Arendelle face off their enemies in an intense battle of survival. How will they make out? Please enjoy this chapter with some candy if you wish; but be prepared, this will certainly be an emotional ride!**

* * *

The Queen shrieked loudly, slamming her fist down and nearly breaking the large flat rock in her area in two. One of her card guards managed to use an emergency snow globe she had given them to report the ambush on them.

"You mean to tell me that your enormous numbers cannot manage to control a small group of prisoners?! They are all mortal, even!" The Queen screamed as the card guard grumbled lowly to communicate with her. "I do not care if there were a thousand dragons there! Now I must expend unnecessary energy to conjure the Executioner to post him there! Make sure that he, and all of you, slaughter anything that moves!" The card guard grumbled to her again. "Yes! Discriminate not who they are, if you see them, spill their blood! I want Arendelle to lie in ruins! You allowed the prisoners to escape, so make sure they have nothing to return to!" She gasped lightly then, groaning as she hunched forward a bit, her fists clenching. "… I am well, I assure you. Just do as I command so that I may not succumb to any ailments!" She exhaled sharply, closing her eyes tightly as the card guard went on its way. After taking a few moments to regain her composure, she reopened her eyes. She made her way slowly to Maharaja's area in the mountain, approaching the cage where Tooth was being held captive.

The poor creature had been through hell and back in the past day; though her fairies tried to continue their jobs from North's workshop after having been relocated, without her expertise and direction, they just could not keep up with the workload as well as normal. That, with the surmountable burden upon them and low morale, was taking a toll on their strength as well as hers. This, let alone the fact that Tooth had endured such harsh abuse, reduced her to curling up in a fetal position at the bottom of the cage. She glanced down, her tear stained face looking upon the feathers lying on the ground below her that had fallen. Some were charred, the electrical shocks having left painful burn marks and exposing her skin from the burnt feathers that fell away.

As the Queen approached, Tooth's eyes slowly looked over at her as she breathed wheezily. The Queen stared at her emotionlessly for a moment before turning her attention to the minions guarding her cage.

"Bid khagas üüldriin Gichii yamar ch aztai baisan shüü dee." One said.

"Ter evdekh khetsüü baikh yum." The other added.

"Indeed…" The Queen raised a brow. "She shall be difficult to break." She turned back to face Tooth, approaching the cage so that she was a mere inch from the bars. "I must admit, I admire your resilience." She tilted her head. "However, you should know by now that it shall not save you. You shall die, fairy. This is for certain. It is the manner in which you shall die that will vary depending on your actions. Give me the answers I seek, and you shall be provided better conditions of living up until I allow Maharaja to take your life as promised. Against his wishes, I shall provide those humane means for you if you so choose to cooperate. If you choose otherwise… you shall suffer to your last breath."

Tooth slowly and shakily sat up, groaning in pain as she did so. Her wings hung limply against her back, her breath shaky as she gripped the bars to help her remain somewhat upright. Her whole body trembled, her eyes staring intensely into the Queen's as she managed a weak scowl.

"The guardians… and their friends… are my family." She took in a sharp breath. "My mother and father… died to save me. The guardians… sacrificed everything to save me. I'm going to do the same for them. I don't care how badly you hurt me… or if I die… I will do everything I can… to protect them. I'm not afraid to take it… if they are saved in the end."

The Queen's expression hardened, her eyes burning with anger. "Let me assure you of one thing, fairy. They shall not. They shall suffer by my hand as you are. All your endurance shall have been for nothing. Your sacrifice shall be done in vain. Everything that Alice Liddell ever loved, everything she touches…" She reached over, taking one of the electric poles from the monkey minion nearest her. "… shall turn to ashes and dust!" She gritted her teeth, jabbing the pole forward to pin Tooth against the back end of the cage. As the prongs embedded into her skin just above her collar bones, she emitted a strained scream as the Queen send another wave of electric shocks from the pole. As Tooth tried to force the prongs off of her, she only burned her hands in the process, the Queen maintaining this for over a minute before yanking the pole back, Tooth falling forward in the small space and knocking her head against one of the bars. Falling unconscious, but still alive, the poor Fairy bled slightly from her collarbones and the corner of her lip. The Queen grimaced as she handed the minion the pole back, dusting her hands on her dress. "I have no patience for her insolence in this moment." She growled, staring at her darkly.

Just then, Hans approached, glancing over to see Tooth's condition and smirking for a brief moment. He then resumed turning his attention to the Queen, clearing his throat to garner hers. She broke her glare upon Tooth to regard him, briefly telling the minions to continue to monitor her.

"Your highness, forgive me for interrupting." Hans said.

"What news do you bring?" The Queen asked.

"There is a visitor here who wishes to see you." Hans answered.

The Queen narrowed her eyes warily, pursing her lips. "Who is it?"

Moments later, the Queen moved quickly as she followed Hans, her breath hitching as she turned the corner to see who was standing, waiting to meet with her. A grin slowly spread across her face, her heart skipping a beat.

"I'll leave you both to your discussion." Hans said, giving the Queen a light bow before taking his leave.

The Queen slowly approached the visitor, looking them up and down as she smirked. "My… you are certainly a breath of fresh air. It's about time you've come to visit your old friend… Pitch Black."

The Nightmare King's expression remained serious, exhaling slowly. "I appreciate the sentiment."

"We have much to catch up on." The Queen said as she waved her hand, a table and a pair of chairs appearing a few feet from them. "Come, let's have a nice chat over some tea, shall we?"

"Very well." Pitch answered as he followed her over to the table, sitting down as she poured them each a glass.

As their meeting began, Turbo watched silently from the shadows, narrowing his eyes. "I don't like this guy." He said to himself. "He's up to something."

"Do not interfere."

Turbo jumped in surprise, putting a hand over his chest. "Jeez, pal, are you trying to give me a 'game over?'" He snapped.

"He has considered himself an enemy of us." The Phoenix spoke, his glow brightening a bit now that his presence was known to the cybrid. "For him to have the nerve to come here, alone, he has his own intentions he wishes to have fulfilled. From what Maharaja has disclosed to me, he envelops a very sinister nature- or rather, it has enveloped him."

Turbo curled his lip. "Yeah, well… I still don't like him." He crossed his arms.

The Queen took a sip of her tea, placing her cup down in its saucer. "So… what brings you to my humble new home?" She asked. "You age like wine, my dear; you grow more handsome by the day."

"I'll be blunt with you." Pitch replied, straightening up in his chair. "I did not come here to prattle about what's occurring in our lives. I'm well aware of what you are doing and you are well aware of what I'm doing. Let us not diverge from what's really going on. I know what you want."

The Queen leaned back in her chair a bit, tapping her cheek with her finger. "Do you now…? However, I believe the more important question is, what do YOU want, Pitch? If you wanted nothing, you would not have come here."

"Obviously. I have come to make a proposition with you." Pitch answered.

"Ah… I'm honored." The Queen chuckled, licking her lips. "What is it that you seek assistance with, and what shall you offer for that assistance?"

Pitch was silent for a moment before responding. "I know that you're desperate. You cannot truly advance so as long as your enemies remain within the safety and protection of the forest. You need a way in, and without my help, I can tell you now that you won't."

The Queen clicked her tongue, pursing her lips as she feigned hurt. "What a sting that leaves, Pitch. Nevertheless, I do appreciate the offer…"

"I'm not quite finished." Pitch said. "I am making you aware that the nymph within the forest is someone dear to me. You are not to harm her, and you will do as little damage as possible. The second portion of my offer is I shall offer Alice no protection. She is yours to do what you will."

The Queen raised a brow. "You are readily willing to betray her?"

"Yes." Pitch said.

"And Elsa?" The Queen asked.

"You shall not touch her. I do not care what you do with Alice and the other guardians, but Elsa shall not be harmed." Pitch said firmly, making himself very clear. "That leads to my request."

"Hm… it will be difficult to restrain myself… perhaps if I make her watch that Jack Frost lose his life before I take hers… she shall suffer all the more and it shall bring me more satisfaction. I suppose I can work with that… now, what is it that you seek from me?" The Queen asked.

Pitch leaned forward a bit. "All of that I will promise you if you end the life of Bunnymund. Make sure he suffers as much as possible."

The Queen raised a brow, intrigued by this. "The life sized rabbit…? I'm curious to know what makes you suddenly despise him so?"

"I have always despised him… I simply have a new reason to do so, one I cannot tolerate. His life must be ended. If you can guarantee that… then I will provide you with what you need for safe passage into the forest." Pitch said.

The Queen took another sip of her tea, pondering for a moment. "With Alice and the guardians gone, my life would be easier… even if I do decide to allow Elsa to live." She exhaled deeply. "Very well. I shall agree to your terms, I find them well worthwhile."

"Just remember… no harm shall be done whatsoever to the nymph or Elsa." Pitch reminded.

"I shall not harm a single hair on their head." The Queen assured.

"And tell the other members of your party to do the same." Pitch added.

"Absolutely." The Queen extended her hand. "So… do we have a deal?"

"We do." Pitch answered, extending his hand to awkwardly shake the Queen's large one. When they ended their hand shake, Pitch formed a sharp blade from his sand, the Queen producing bottle. He sliced a cut across his wrist, his black blood dripping into the bottle. "Expose the blood to the trees at the edge of the forest. Once you are able to enter, the forest shall offer no other resistance."

"You see how well we work together? I miss this, Pitch… I do hope you can join me in a more wholesome manner someday… I would be quite pleased." The Queen said.

"Let's not become too hopeful, your highness." Pitch said, rising from his seat. "They will notice my absence. I must head back. Remember the terms to our agreement."

"Of course." The Queen smiled. "And Pitch?"

"Yes?" Pitch turned halfway around.

"… it's always a pleasure." The Queen's smile grew.

Pitch nodded, striding quickly as he made his way out of the mountain. As he did so, he slowed for a moment when out of his peripheral vision, he saw vibrant color. He looked over, gazing upon a cage hanging from the wall containing an unconscious Tooth. He looked behind him when he heard the sound of low chuckling, Maharaja sneering arrogantly. Pitch merely raised a brow and gave him the smallest of nods before continuing on his way out.

When Pitch was gone, the Queen glanced over as the Phoenix approached at her right side.

"You do realize that a part of the terms between you and I conflict with the terms you made with him… do you not?" He asked, narrowing his illuminated eyes.

"At first, it would seem so." The Queen smirked. "Pitch specifically asked me to tell you to do the nymph no harm… however, it does not mean I will stop you If you decide to do otherwise." As the Phoenix puffed its chest out triumphantly, the Queen grinned darkly, holding up the small bottle of Pitch's blood as she chuckled.

* * *

Inside a small shack Kristoff had in the forest of Arendelle, he, Eugene, Anna, Rapunzel and Gustav huddled around a fire as night fell over the land. In the distance, they could hear people screaming and absconding, the sound of the Executioner's roar filling the air. This made them all shudder, Rapunzel rubbing Anna's back as she began to cry quietly. Kristoff took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze before she hugged him from the side, resting her face against his chest. They had been quiet for some time, Gustav finally breaking the silence.

"I'm glad North is okay." He said.

"Me too." Kristoff replied.

"Why didn't he let us come with him to secure the horses and Sven?" Eugene asked.

"He said something about not wanting too many people there right away. He was pretty vague. I wish he would bring us back though, it's getting cold and the last thing we need is to freeze out here." Kristoff said.

"Imagine how all those poor people feel, Kristoff…" Anna's voice cracked. "Being driven out of their homes… having to flee from Arendelle."

Feeling bad, Kristoff bit his lip. "Sorry… I didn't mean to sound insensitive."

Just then, they all looked over as a portal emerged near them, North stepping out of it and approaching them. He sighed, clearing his throat.

"You look exhausted…" Rapunzel said. "I can help with those cuts when we arrive. I want to thank you for all you've done to help us."

North gave her a small nod, lightly waving his hand towards the portal. "I need to tell you all something when we get back. After that, you may settle in and make yourself at home."

They all made their way through the portal, which closed up after they all arrived. When they did, Rapunzel smiled when she heard a small squeaking sound.

"Pascal!" She exclaimed quietly, going over to scoop him up. "I missed you."

She glanced back when North clearing his throat got her attention, the group standing near the dining table. He exhaled slowly, hanging his head a bit.

"Hey, um… I was wondering, did Hiccup and Merida get here before us?" Gustav asked.

"Yes, they are both here." North replied. "I have grave news. Wick, he has some healing powers much like you, Rapunzel. He tried everything, he really did." He paused, remaining strong as he maintained his composure. "… I am sorry to tell you all that despite her strength and valor, Merida has left us."

Everyone was stunned into silence upon hearing these words, Anna covering her mouth. Kristoff pulled out a chair, sitting in it as he held his head in his hands. After about a minute, Rapunzel was the first to break the silence.

"Where are they?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"Hiccup wishes to remain alone with her for now. They are up there where bedrooms are. Tread quietly and try not to disturb him." North replied.

Kristoff shook his head. "What do we do now…? Arendelle is overrun, Merida…" He exhaled sharply. "We have no idea what's going on with the others…"

"We are moving through very dark times, but we must maintain hope now, Kristoff." North answered.

As North bid them all a quiet goodnight and retreated into his office, everyone solemnly made their way up the stairs to settle into their bedrooms. As Gustav was halfway up the stairs, he glanced back to hear Maximus, Sven, Toothless and even Fanghook trying to comfort a mourning Angus. The black and white horse snorted sadly, lightly nudging at Merida's weaponry as he whined softly.

Gustav turned around, continuing up the stairs as he slung his satchel on his shoulder. As he headed towards one of the vacant bedrooms, he stopped when he heard quiet sobbing behind the door he had just passed. He bit his lip, opening the door a crack to see Hiccup's back to him, bent over the bedside over Merida. She was lying still, serene, and Gustav's heart sank more. Despite North's words, he went against them as he placed his satchel down in the hallway, slowly entering the room. He stopped a few feet from Hiccup, pausing for a moment.

He remembered the day that Stoick had passed back in Berk. It was a dreadful day, the entire tribe overwhelmed with sadness. He remembered that Hiccup and Valka, of course, were the most grim, the Viking blaming himself for his father's death, feeling he could have done more to prevent it. Now, he was grappling with this feeling again, only tenfold. Gustav took a step forward, remembering how many Vikings had laid their helmets down for Stoick's honor, forging new ones to replace the old as a symbol of a great era past, a tradition of respect for past chiefs or members of the tribe.

Hiccup glanced over when he felt someone next to him, blinking tears out of his eyes as he watched Gustav remove his helmet, placing it near Merida. There was a silence between them for several minutes before Gustav finally spoke.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup." His voice cracked a bit.

Hiccup nodded, his throat tightening as he lightly pat Gustav's shoulder with his right hand. A few more minutes elapsed between them before Hiccup finally found the will to speak.

"I'm proud of you, Gustav." Hiccup cleared his throat.

The young Viking bit his lip, shaking his head. "But I failed, Hiccup. I didn't come back for you guys in time to save Merida."

"You didn't fail, Gustav. You did everything you could... I will never forget that. That's what a true Viking does." Hiccup answered.

"I know... it's just... Merida-"

"-would also be proud... of what you did." Hiccup assured, giving his shoulder a light squeeze.

"... thanks, Hiccup." Gustav smiled for a brief moment, fading as quickly as it had come.

Hiccup sighed shakily, taking Merida's cold hand in his to gently massage her fingers with his thumbs. "It's funny... her whole life, she dreaded the thought of marriage." The smallest of smiles graced his features. "Then all of a sudden, when I proposed... it was like everything changed. The more time passed after I forged this for her..." His thumb lightly brushed over her engagement ring. "... the more eager she became. Whenever we were alone, she would ask questions; when I answered she would pretend to have already known it." More tears ran down his cheeks as he smiled lightly through them. "When she thought no one was around, I would catch her counting down the days until we were going to marry." He exhaled a small chuckle, wiping his eyes. "Around everyone else, she always tried to be so strong, but she wasn't afraid to let herself be vulnerable with me. She wasn't afraid because she knew that I realized how strong she was. That I would protect-..." He choked up then, bowing his head as he rested his forehead against her hand. Gustav inhaled sharply as tears began to escape from his own eyes, the young Viking hugging Hiccup from the side in an effort to offer him support. In that moment, Hiccup finally broke down completely, silently appreciating the much needed comfort from the young Viking. After all the loss and the hardship he endured in his life, he knew for sure that this overwhelming grief would be the greatest and most difficult obstacle he would have to overcome.

As North sat silently in his office, he exhaled deeply as he wiped a stray tear from his eye. He had told Wick to rest for the night, having exhausted himself from trying to save Merida. He furrowed his brows when he began to hear light, incoherent and airy whispering. He lifted his head, looking around in an attempt to find the source of the sound. He pursed his lips, getting up from his seat to rummage around the room. After some time, he began to grow impatient, starting to toss books and other small items despite his normally organized mannerisms. He finally came across a small, wooden box with an ancient encryption carved into the top, narrowing his eyes as he tilted his head. He slowly took the box into his hands, taking a few minutes to open the intricate and complex lock. When he opened it, a soft, green glow illuminated his face, his eyes widening.

"Rimsky-Korsikov... can it be...?" He breathed, closing the lid and looking around with a renewed energy. "Elves! Elves, come now! Quickly!" He shouted, quickly flying the door open and striding out.

He realized in that moment, the hope he told the others to keep believing in may have just presented itself.

* * *

"Hey... are you going to sleep?" Ralph asked, he and Vanellope having spent some time together after the day's stressful events. Elsa had requested to have some time to herself, so Vanellope appreciated some time with her larger friend.

"Nah... I'm not that tired yet." Vanellope smiled. "You go on ahead."

"Okay." Ralph smiled. "Hey... you know, when we get back to the arcade, maybe we'll be welcomed back as heroes."

"I doubt it..." Vanellope sighed. "Even when we do, and even though King Candy will be gone... who's to say that the racers still won't hate me?"

Ralph frowned at this. Deep down, he had an inkling that Vanellope was more important than everyone had let on, and even more so than even she had realized. To be on a decal cabinet, it was known by all video game characters that this represented a character of either great importance, if not the game's protagonist. He had not told her what he had seen back in the arcade, not wanting to give the child false hope. As Vanellope heaved a sigh, Ralph crouched down, smiling as he tried to evoke optimism.

"Hey, come on... without that stupid airhead getting on your case every five minutes, those racers will regret ever treating you badly. You'll blow them all out of the taffy swamp, I know it." Ralph snickered when Vanellope playfully rolled her eyes.

"Trying to use Sugar Rush words now, huh? I think you've been eating too much candy." She laughed. "But... thanks Ralph. I wouldn't be able to do it without you."

"You got it, kiddo." He nodded. "Don't stay up too late, okay? Give a shout out if you need me." Ralph said before heading over to his shelter to get some rest.

As Vanellope sat and looked up at the stars through the tree tops, she giggled when a pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes. "Sandy!" She piped, the dream guardian laughing inaudibly as he floated over to sit next to her. He waved his finger at her, telling her it was past her bedtime. "Come on! I might be a kid but I'm not some big baby! I finally don't have some big doodie head telling me what to do every three seconds, I want to enjoy some freedom."

Sandy frowned a bit, rubbing his chin as he pondered. A light bulb appeared over his head as he noticed her looking up at the stars, tapping her shoulder lightly. She glanced at him as he pointed up at them, concentrating as he used his finger to trace sand lines, making out the constellations and using his sand pictures to tell her what each one symbolized. Vanellope's eyes widened, letting her head fall back to get a better look at the stars behind her.

"Wow... that's so cool! It's like the sky can draw pictures and tell stories! I had no idea stars could do that..." She said, staring up in awe and trying to redraw the pictures with her hands. Just then, when Vanellope tumbled back off the log, she noticed Pitch approaching when she shook her head. She got to her feet, dusting herself off. "Hey! Where have you been all day? You're supposed to let me know when you want to play hide and seek, silly!" Vanellope snickered.

Pitch halted, noticing that Sandy was there. He had wanted to speak to Vanellope, but hesitated upon learning she wasn't alone. Upon seeing Sandy, he remembered what he had witnessed back in the mountain, Tooth in captivity and her deteriorating condition. He exhaled lightly, knowing that there was no way he could tell him this, otherwise they would have known he was there. If he was cursed for it later, hated, then so be it. In his mind, he knew that it had to be done.

"When you have a moment, I need to discuss something with you privately." Pitch said to her.

Sandy blinked, waving his hands and communicating that he would leave them alone. He was well aware of the somewhat developed friendship between them, knowing that there were several who would get on Pitch's case if he betrayed that trust. He bid them both goodnight, leaving Pitch and Vanellope to themselves.

"So, heard you had a rough day today, pal." Vanellope started, Pitch exhaling sharply.

"That is not what I came here to discuss." He replied.

"Okay, okay, just lending you an ear." Vanellope said. "Would a nice drive around the woods help?"

Pitch shook his head, appreciating the gesture deep down. "No, thank you. The last thing I need is for my heart to beat out of my chest."

Vanellope laughed. "Come on, you know it's fun!"

Pitch couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her spirit. He then sighed, knowing he had more serious matters to take care of. "I am here to tell you something very important. You may only disclose what I tell you to and whom I tell you to. It's critical that you understand this before I proceed."

Vanellope's smile faded a bit. "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Just promise me you will do what I ask. Understand I am telling you this for your benefit." Pitch said firmly.

"Okay... fine. What've you got?" Vanellope asked.

Pitch exhaled slowly before continuing. "Listen very carefully to me now. I need you to take Ralph and Elsa to the far eastern end of the forest. Once you pass through a long, wide path, you shall find a small cave to take up shelter. Go there, and remain there until the day's end tomorrow."

"Wait, what? You... are you saying we have to leave? You don't want us here anymore?" Vanellope furrowed her brows, crossing her arms.

"No Vanellope, I do appreciate you being here, this is why I am telling you this now. You must remain there, with Ralph and Elsa, and stay hidden until it is safe." Pitch said.

"Hang on... safe? You say that as if some giant monster thing is going to- wait a minute... you know something!" Vanellope pointed a finger at him.

"Shh! Yes, I know something. Please just promise you will do as I ask." Pitch responded.

Vanellope shook her head in confusion. "But if you know something, we can all stop it now, right? What about everyone else, Ralph and Elsa can fight just like they can, so-"

"Vanellope, just-..." He closed his eyes, clenching one of his fists as he laid his other hand on her shoulder. Vanellope was a bit taken aback by the gesture, her expression softening. "... I have already lost the care of one child who I hold dear. I don't want you to endure the ill consequences of war. Take those who mean the most to you and I, and do as I tell you. Tell them simply that they must leave immediately. Do not answer any questions they ask, do not allow them to seek me out. Tell them to take the journey, and nothing more. Do you understand what I am asking you to do?"

Vanellope bit her lip, nodding. "Okay... but Pitch, what's going to happen?"

He bowed his head lightly, pausing for a moment before speaking. "Something is coming. That is all you need to know."

* * *

 **Looks like things have turned for the worse for our heroes; not only is Tooth captured, Eliza brainwashed, and Arendelle in peril, now Pitch has betrayed his collective and Merida has been lost! Is there any hope left? Don't be too downtrodden, readers... I assure you, there is still more to this story! Thank you again for reading, and please stay tuned for the next update!**


	31. Traitors Burning Bridges

**Good evening, readers! I am back again with a new chapter, and this one is going to be quite intense! Are you ready? If so, please enjoy and prepare yourself for action and drama galore!**

* * *

North and several of his elves exited a portal from one of his snow globes, approaching a stone barrier in the tundra of eastern Siberia. It was the original land of Santoff Claussen, a place where some of North's oldest and wisest allies dwelled. North took in a deep breath, taking a step closer to the barrier. Moments later, the ancient stones groaned as they began to open up, allowing North access inside. He traveled along a long path until he reached a gargantuan tree, entering inside the opening where he ascended the winding stairs as the air was filled with small orbs of light. A shallow body of water lay below, more ancient stones levitating several inches above it. When North reached the top, there were several beings there, surrounded by treasures of unmeasurable worth. Upon a throne of vines and leaves, much like Emily's without it resting in a shallow pool of water, there sit a wizard who was nearly as old as time itself. Accompanying him, a young woman to his left, gently petting a white goose resting in her lap. To his right, a shimmering, ancient Spirit of the Forest, adorned with jewels and diamonds to compliment her beauty. North approached them, bowing his head lightly as they each smiled upon him.

"North, my old friend..." The wizard greeted, before coughing a bit into his hand. "How nice it is to see you again."

"And the same to you, Ombric." North smiled lightly.

"Are the time travelling globes serving you well?" Ombric asked.

"Yes, upgrade very good!" North answered. "Though it is always good to see you, I am here to speak with the Spirit; it is very urgent."

The air filled with a soft, airy whisper as the Spirit floated forth, smiling lightly. "What is it you seek, North?" Her voice was soft and airy, much like her essence.

As North slowly withdrew the wooden box from his office, his elves were becoming a bit distracted, one slapping another's hand when they went to touch the treasure. He opened it, taking out the single, small object inside. "I have come to ask you about this."

The Spirit chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "North... all of the other guardians have already given back to the world with the gifts I bestowed upon them; Bunnymund with his weapons carved from my bark, Toothiana with her ability to recall treasure to give to the children, and the Sandman with the essence fragment of my divine powers. Are you still having trouble?"

"I need to know one thing. You told me long ago that the powers contained in this stone would present itself when the time was right." North said.

"Yes, this I did say to you." She replied.

"Is the glow of the stone a sign that this time has come?" North asked.

The Spirit smiled knowingly. "Perhaps you have finally found good use for my gift, North."

North's expression brightened, his hope and optimism renewed. "You have been a great help, Spirit. I cannot repay you for this."

The Spirit gently took North's hand in hers for a moment. "The kindness and generosity you bestow upon the world shall be considered a suitable payment. Always remember this and be guided by it."

"I will. Thank you, a thousand times, thank you." North replied, bidding them all farewell. As he turned to leave, the Spirit called upon him softly.

"There is something you must know about the power of the Stone of Lesnyye El'fy. The creature which its power is granted upon, and all things derived upon it, shall prove valiant and generous, but also wild and free." The Spirit said.

The young woman with the goose rose, still holding it as she smiled. "It was good to see you again, North. I wish you the best of luck."

"And you also, Katherine." North gave her a nod, motioning for his small elves to follow him as they took their leave.

* * *

Vanellope slowed her mega kart to a stop, putting it in park as she hopped out. "Well, this is the cave he told me to go to..." She said as she approached it. Ralph and Elsa got out behind her, the larger man scratching his head as he yawned.

"Why are we coming out here again?" He asked.

"I don't like this..." Elsa sighed. "I'm still angry with him from yesterday, but... I have a bad feeling about being separated like this."

"I have no idea what's going on, he wouldn't spill the jelly beans. I hope everything turns out okay." Vanellope said, the three of them going in to sit within the very mouth of the cavern.

"Well, he did have a pretty rough day yesterday..." Ralph added. "Maybe he's just trying to figure some stuff out."

"I wish he would just... trust me." Elsa sighed, holding her head for a moment. "I feel like even after all we have done for each other, there's still somewhat of a barrier there. He doesn't trust himself completely, so it's still difficult for him. He still has a bit of a skewed vision of what's right and what's wrong."

"Give him some time." Vanellope said. "He's still a doodie head sometimes, but he's getting better. He's alright in my book." She smiled.

"Do we really have to stay here ALL day?" Ralph asked.

"That's what he said..." Vanellope answered. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Did he say if he was going to come at any point?" Elsa asked.

"No, but... we'll just have to wait and find out." Vanellope replied.

Back at the encampment, everyone was just getting started for the day. Emily and Bunny were not too far outside its range, tending to the flora and plants as she did each day.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." Bunny said, sighing lightly as he helped Emily beside her.

She glanced over at him, pausing her work for a moment. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because…" Bunny bit his lip for a moment. "… I caused all this trouble. AGAIN."

Emily turned to face him fully, taking his hands into hers. "Why are you at fault for simply loving me?"

"The same reason I was apparently at fault when I was in love with Alice." Bunny replied. "Because I always piss off someone who doesn't like it."

"You speak of two separate instances, Bunnymund. Yes, it is understandable that Jack Frost was cross. Alice was already claimed. Do you regret loving me?" Emily asked.

"Of course not. I just regret all the grief I caused you." Bunny replied.

"Then you are not at fault. It is my choice whom I give my heart to. I choose to give it to you. My father's prejudice and spite is no fault of yours, it is his alone. As long as we remain true to one another… you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." Emily said.

After a brief pause, allowing her words to sink in, Bunny nodded slowly. "I guess you're right. Em, I… I really just… enjoy being around you now. I've seen a brighter side to you. That's what I love the most."

"Bunnymund, you must love me wholly. For how can one tell the light from the dark if there is no dark?" Emily asked, smiling as she leaned forward. She and Bunny kissed for a short while, when the moment was suddenly broken upon Emily sensing something. Her ears flickered, whipping her head back to glance behind her.

"Em…? What is it?" Bunny asked.

"Shh…" She stood to her feet, concentrating as her eyes narrowed slightly. She looked to the treetops, she felt the air around her, her toes twisted lightly upon the soil. She looked towards her throne, soaring over to it as she knelt over the water surrounding it. She lifted her head, standing up once more before turning to Bunnymund. "Something is wrong. I can sense it deeply. A foulness has suddenly become present in the air. Alert the others, tell them to remain vigilant. I must venture further."

As she was about to turn and soar deeper into the forest, Bunny grabbed her wrist. "Em, if something's out there I'm not letting you go by yourself."

"Do not go against what I've asked you. Remain here and help the others keep watch." Emily demanded.

"But Emily-"

"None shall challenge my power and survive. Now go!" She exclaimed, Bunny regrettably letting go as he watched her disappear into the trees.

Jack, Alice and Sandy glanced up when Bunny jogged back to the camp, shaking his head.

"Bunny? What's the matter?" Jack asked, standing up.

"It's Emily... she said she felt something was wrong. I don't know if it's a real threat, but she said to keep watch." Bunny replied.

Alice stood, not taking any chances as she wielded her vorpal blade. "Go get the rest of our party. If something is indeed coming for us than we need everyone present."

Sandy nodded, floating over towards the other side of the encampment. As he did so, Alice, Jack and Bunny gripped their weapons, their eyes darting everywhere and listening for any unusual sounds. Moments later, Alice turned as Sandy approached them, appearing a bit distressed.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"What do you mean they're gone?!" Alice snapped, Sandy holding his hands up defensively.

Before anyone could respond, everyone jumped and whirled around as a loud, distant screech echoed through the air, and the sight of a large plume of fire and smoke rose into the sky in the direction Emily had gone in. Bunny's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat.

"No... EMILY!" He screamed, not hesitating another second as he bounded deeper into the forest.

"Bunny, wait!" Jack shouted, soaring after the Pooka as Alice and Sandy joined him.

The three suddenly halted when cybugs began to fly right at them, Alice gritting her teeth as she whipped out her pepper corn gun. She turned the crank rapidly, taking down any within a close range.

"It would be nice if the other half of our team was here!" Jack shouted, he and Sandy working together as he froze the cybugs, and Sandy's ropes shattered them.

Bunny dashed as fast as he could, more screeching filling the air. When he skidded to a stop, he widened his eyes in horror when he saw Emily taking on not one, but two opponents; the Phoenix and Turbo. He noticed she was mounted on her majestic elk, the creature raising itself on its hind legs as she sent powerful winds towards Turbo. The winds kicked up small debris like leaves and twigs, making it harder for him to concentrate as she conjured up water to attack the Phoenix in a steady jet stream. As Turbo was about to lunge, Bunny cried out wrathfully as he whipped out his boomerangs, the cybrid having to duck to avoid them. He growled, swiping his hand through the air and hitting Bunny, but he landed well on his feet and skidded to stop his momentum. He pounced back, crying out once more as he tried to attack Turbo again.

"Get out of my way, you annoying little pest!" Turbo growled, smashing his hand down on Bunny as he chuckled. "Squashed like a bug!" When he lifted his hand, he blinked when rather than a crushed Bunny, he saw a single flower sprout out of the ground. "What the- where did it go?!"

Emily screamed loudly, pushing the Phoenix farther back as storm clouds began to release heavy rain, waving her hands as she sent another stream of water at him. The fire setting many of her trees ablaze was being tamed by her rains, and she wielded two long swords not made of metal, but of bone and antler. As cybugs attempted to attack her, she stabbed and impaled any within close range while still mounted upon her elk.

Meanwhile, as Jack, Alice and Sandy were still fighting their way towards Emily and Bunny, Jack hissed when a larger cybug left a nasty scratch on his arm. They were becoming difficult to handle, some adapting and trying to catch some of whatever was being thrown at them in their mouths so they could take on its features.

"Get down!" Jack shouted, one having caught one of Alice's pepper corns in its mouth as it shot at them. Jack whirled around, shooting an ice blast at it to knock it hard into a tree, plummeting to the ground as the light in its eyes dimmed.

Sandy clenched his teeth as his ropes wrapped around two cybugs, straining as he yanked on them so the two creatures smashed into one another, parts flying in all directions.

"We have to get to Bunny!" Alice shouted, opening her umbrella to deflect an icy cybug's attack. It ricocheted, blasting it back into another couple of cybugs and destroying all three. She then got to her feet, whirling around. "Take Sandy and find him, I shall handle this!"

"Are you out of your mind?! You can't-"

"Jack, you are well aware I'm out of my mind; and I will have to apologize to Emily when I find opportunity!" Alice exclaimed as she moved quickly on her feet, planting her little jackrabbit bombs around the area. She burst into butterflies to deflect attacks, whirling around again to press the detonator. As the bombs went off, destroying most of the cybugs within the vicinity, she gasped when she saw one being swallowed up just before the bomb went off. Jack and Sandy had taken cover, emerging once the smoke cleared.

"Well, that seemed to take care of them." Jack said as Sandy gave her a thumbs up. When they noticed her wary expression and that she was looking for something, their smiles faded. "Alice? Are you okay?"

"One of my bombs were consumed... I don't know if it perished or if it still- JACK!" Alice exclaimed, soaring towards him as the cybug in question lowered right behind where he was standing. A sudden, enormous explosion blew them all back, Alice crying out as she skidded along the ground. A few moments later, she groaned as she got to her feet, the smoke once again clearing. "Jack?" She looked all around, coughing as she waved her hand in front of her face. "Sandy?" She saw a flash of gold then, moving quicker when she identified it as the dream guardian. "Are you alright?"

Sandy silently rubbed his head, waving his hand at a few small sand birds that were circling around his head. He exhaled silently before nodding to her, signaling that he was okay. Alice looked around, biting her lip. Sandy knew she was looking for Jack, joining her as he remained alert. When he heard Alice gasp suddenly, he turned, keeping up with her as she fell to her knees.

"Jack? Jack?!" She cried, holding him to her as she saw how badly he had taken the impact; he had been thrown back right into a tree so strongly that it had cracked, the wood splintering as the ice guardian rested unconscious against its trunk. "Sandy, get him away from here. He will be vulnerable if he remains this close to the chaos. I must find Bunny."

Sandy nodded, worried for his fellow guardian as he waved his hand. A sandy airplane materialized, Alice helping to carry Jack over to it and carefully resting him inside. Sandy then hopped in, lowering his goggles and mentally telling Alice to be careful. She nodded, soaring deeper into the forest as Sandy travelled eastward. Upon their departure, Black sand suddenly appeared from behind one of the intact trees, Pitch narrowing his eyes as he made sure the coast was clear. He stealthily followed where Alice had headed, being sure to remain unseen.

Bunny's stone Easter egg statues were holding off the cybug forces, giving Bunny clearance to fight Turbo one on one. He hopped onto Turbo's back, running along his spine as he wrapped one of his boomerangs around his long, thin neck to yank him back. Turbo groped the air as he choked, growling angrily as he curled up into a ball to roll rapidly, hoping to get the Pooka off his back. His plan backfired, smacking right into a tree and flinging himself back, sprawled out as he hissed in pain.

The Phoenix and Emily were fighting fiercely, the nymph having commanded her Elk to gather the woodland animals and take them to safety. They soared through the trees, the Phoenix whirling around to shoot fire at her. Emily was very quick, dodging his attacks and gaining the upper hand. She screamed, sending another wave of water at it to take it down.

Bunny shook his head, recovering from being tumbled around as he got to his feet. When he saw Emily get the upper hand, he smirked lightly.

"That's my girl." She said to himself, exhaling deeply.

Emily glanced behind her, smiling lightly when she saw Bunny was alright. She turned, the Phoenix rising up again as she conjured one last wave to finish him off before he could attack. As Bunny gazed upon her, he failed to notice something coming up from behind him, taking him by shock as tentacles suddenly wrapped around his waist. When he cried out in surprise, Emily whirled around, her eyes widening.

"BUNNYMUND!" She screamed, sending her attack at the Queen and dousing her in water. Distracted, Bunny freed one of his arms, slicing at her tentacles with his boomerang to free himself.

The moment of opportunity, much to their disadvantage, had passed the moment Emily turned away from the Phoenix. He quickly recovered, the Queen crying out in pain as she hissed ferociously. Inhaling deeply, he spewed a strong wave of flames straight towards them. Knowing Bunny would not survive, Emily cried out, wrapping her arms around the Pooka as she enclosed him in her essence. Bunny winced, shutting his eyes tightly as she cried out painfully. Moments seemed like eternities before the assault upon them ceased, the Queen smirking as the Phoenix screeched loudly.

Emily's eyes widened in horror as the Phoenix sent a wave of fire around them, setting the entire area ablaze.

"Emily, we have to get out of here!" Bunny said, smoke beginning to collect in the air.

"No, no, I must stop this!" Emily cried, but Bunny held her back.

Alice touched down then upon seeing Bunny. "It's too dangerous here, we must make haste and head east!"

"I cannot leave my forest to perish!" Emily exclaimed.

"If we don't leave now we're all going to die!" Bunny shouted, hoisting Emily up and helping her away from the fire, Alice leading the way. As they did so, Emily struggled, crying out sorrowfully as she watched all the beauty of her forest burn to ashes.

The Queen leaned against a tree, watching the Phoenix overtaking his new domain as the others fled. Suddenly, she gasped as she was yanked back, suddenly face to face with a very angry Pitch Black.

"We had a deal. That deal entailed to exert minimal damage here, and to kill the rabbit, and you have done neither." Pitch growled.

"His death shall come in time. They have fled now, but they shall be ours for the taking soon enough." The Queen said.

"You're slacking." Pitch spat. "Either do what I ask, or-"

Pitch gasped in surprise as he felt himself being lifted, soon face to face with Turbo. He narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth as he glared at the Nightmare King.

"Listen here, you little burnt crisp." Turbo growled. "Stay away from her or you're gonna get crunched." He then flicked Pitch away as if he were nothing, the Nightmare King having to use all of his force to slow down his momentum. He caught sight of Emily being pulled by Bunny and Alice eastward, soaring over the treetops towards the cavern area.

The Queen hissed lightly, bowing her head. "I was handling the situation."

"Didn't seem like it to me. I told you, I don't LIKE that guy." Turbo growled.

"I know that." The Queen sneered. "And not just because he is the opposition."

"Listen queenie, we've got future glory in the making here, so don't do anything to mess it up!" Turbo snapped. The Queen, in normal circumstances, would have taken Turbo's head for talking back to her. But now, she only glared at him, glancing to the side when the Phoenix appeared before her.

"We should pursue the nymph and her collective." He said.

"And we shall." The Queen replied. "For now, you have claimed this portion of your land back, make it how you see fit. Once you settle here, I shall send out forces for their capture." The Phoenix nodded to her, finally grateful that the Queen had managed to keep her promise to him. She walked over to Turbo, mounting him as he flew her back to the mountain. "I need rest." She sighed, her expression fatigued.

Bunny scooped up Emily, carrying her bridal style. Alice quickened her pace when she heard Jack's voice in the distance. They were away from the fires in the eastern end of the forest, the way they had come from in the very beginning. They approached the outside of the cavern, seeing Jack arguing with Elsa, Vanellope and Ralph.

"What in the bloody hell is going on here? Where were you lot?!" Alice shouted.

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" Jack exclaimed, hissing as he held the back of his head.

"You need to rest, no more exerting yourself." Alice hissed, making Jack sit down as Sandy angrily tapped his foot at Ralph and Elsa. "Explain yourselves this INSTANT. Do you not see the distant pandemonium and destruction?! Half the forest is burned to the ground! We may have stood half a chance if you had been present! For goodness sakes, Jack nearly had his head blown off his shoulders!"

Bunny gently set Emily to her feet, the nymph glaring darkly at the three. She would be doing all the yelling herself, but she was weakened from battle and Alice was doing a pretty good job as it was.

"Alice, we were TOLD to come here, the three of us specifically." Elsa replied. "We were on our way back to you when we noticed the smoke in the sky, we heard all this noise and we were coming back to help-"

"Someone betrayed us." Emily finally spoke up, staggering a bit as she took a step forward. Bunny stayed close to help support her. "My forest was impenetrable. None could pass through its borders without my granting. For the Phoenix and his allies to... to destroy everything..." He voice shook, overcome with grief as her facial muscles tightened. "They had assistance from one of you!"

"Are you crazy?! Why would we help THEM?!" Ralph exclaimed.

"SILENCE!" Emily screamed.

Elsa took a step forward. "Emily, please... what happened was terrible, but... we must work together to-"

Emily growled, about to attack when suddenly, black sand materialized between them as Pitch appeared. Emily hesitated, glaring up at him.

"Step aside, father. I must end those who have turned against me." Emily spoke lowly.

"You shall not lay a hand on her." Pitch said. "I will tell you exactly who it was who betrayed you."

Vanellope had stood silently the whole time, her eyes wide as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She finally looked up when Pitch appeared, and before he could speak, she marched up to him.

"What the heck is going on here?!" Vanellope shouted at him.

Pitch glanced over at her. "Vanellope, this is not your concern. I shall handle everything from-"

"You told me to tell Ralph and Elsa to come out here but that everyone else would be okay! Now our whole camp is burned down!" Vanellope screamed.

"Wait, what?" Jack shook his head, getting to his feet. "Pitch, why would you tell them to come out here- no... you all set this up!"

"I didn't set anything up, all he said was to tell-"

"Vanellope, be SILENT." Pitch growled.

"No, let her speak, Pitch, let her tell us how you all turned your backs!" Alice shouted.

"Pitch told me that something was coming!" Vanellope exclaimed. "That's all he told me, and I told him that I should have gotten the rest of you but he wouldn't let me! He didn't tell me it was going to be this bad, he didn't say anything else!" She plopped down on the ground, beginning to cry more. "This is all my fault..."

"Why did you tell them to come here, father? Why just them, and not me? How did you know something was coming, how did you know they would penetrate my defenses...?" Emily asked.

"I will tell you why." Pitch pointed his finger at Bunny. "I witnessed him make a pact with the Queen."

Everyone gasped, Bunny reeling back. "You're insane!" Bunny shouted. "Why in the hell would I-"

"Because you thought you could get back at me!" Pitch growled.

Emily looked between them all, confusion thick in the air. Everyone was accusing each other, pointing fingers, but she was determined to find the truth.

"Are you lying, father?" Emily asked.

"I would not lie to you." Pitch said. "The Pooka is a traitor. I did not want the others to be involved. Leaving you to perish was my mistake, I... simply had so much faith you could overcome their forces..."

Emily nodded, glancing back at Bunny for a moment. The Pooka shook his head, tears filling his eyes as Emily glared darkly at him.

"Em... you know I wouldn't... I would never do such a thing..." His voice cracked.

Emily glanced down at the ground, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment. "I'm sorry... but you leave me no choice. I am weak, but... I must expend this power, I must know the truth." She whirled around then, taking Pitch off guard when she grabbed his wrists. Vines extended from her hands, wrapping up his arms as they glowed. She was able to see fragments of his recent experiences in her mind, the vines retracting seconds later as she emitted a loud scream. She staggered backwards, Bunny catching her as she stared at Pitch with a mixture of shock and disgust. "Why?! WHY?!" She shrieked, reducing everyone to silence.

"What is it?" Alice asked. "What did you see?"

"I wanted so much to believe you... I wanted so much for you to be the father I once loved, the one who would never hurt me!" Angry tears streamed down her face. "How could you do this to me?!"

"I desired so badly to shield you from all this, Emily. I was forced to do what I did." Pitch said.

"No! You alone made this choice to hurt me! All of us!" Emily screamed. "YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME!"

Jack shook his head in confusion. "Emily, what-"

"It was HE who sought out the Queen! It was he who used his own BLOOD to grant them entry! And it was HE who manipulated the child!" Emily pointed at Vanellope.

"What?!" Bunny shot a glare at Pitch. "And you have the nerve to try and make ME out to be the bad guy!"

Alice seethed, wielding her vorpal blade and jabbing it at Pitch's chest. "You'd better have good reason for pulling this stunt or I will cut your heart out!"

"Do you really want to know why? I did this, I let her in here, so she could kill YOU!" He pointed at Bunny. Everyone gasped in shock.

"Pitch... you didn't..." Elsa covered her mouth, her breath hitching.

"You have brought this destruction upon us, father." Her voice shook. "You have brought this upon me!"

"I never meant for it to get this far... the Queen assured me she would simply kill the rabbit and-"

"And you BELIEVED her?!" Jack exclaimed.

Ralph ushered Vanellope closer to him, shaking his head with disgust. "You know, I thought you were pretty rotten. But I never thought you could sink this low, Pitch."

Pitch barely regarded them, exhaling shakily as he tried to approach his daughter. "Emily... you know I never would have wanted you to be harmed like this... I was only trying to-"

"Do not come near me." She said lowly, Pitch biting his lip as he tried to reach out for her hands. When he came too close, she shrieked loudly, wrathfully, all of them jumping as a loud crack of thunder erupted in the sky. "TWICE YOU HAVE CURSED ME!" She screamed. "Leave..."

"Emily, please-"

"LEAVE NOW!" She screamed, another crack of thunder sounding in the sky. "And they may leave as well!" She pointed at Ralph, Vanellope and Elsa.

Pitch felt his chest tighten up, glancing around him as they all glared at him. Everything he tried to work for came crashing down, taking a few steps back. As he did so, his eyes caught Vanellope, clearing his throat as he approached her. He stopped when she took a step back, shaking her head at him.

"I want to apologize... for placing you in the thick of this. I hope you know that... I appreciate our friendship." Pitch said quietly.

"Friendship? FRIENDSHIP?!" Vanellope shouted. "Yeah, I finally DID have that here, I finally BELONGED somewhere and you just took that away from me!" Vanellope cried, stomping her foot.

Pitch sighed. "I did not intend for the backlash to fall on you, Vanellope... I just wanted to keep you safe-"

"No, you're a rat!" She exclaimed. "And I don't want to see you anymore!" Her voice shook as she cried more. "I was wrong about you, you're nothing but a sorry sack of dirt!"

"Vanellope... I was just trying to-"

"Stay away from her." Ralph said with a serious tone, narrowing his eyes. "Or you'll have to deal with me."

Pitch said nothing more, nodding lightly as he began to retreat slowly away from them. He stopped for a moment to gaze sadly upon Elsa, who furrowed her brows as she met his gaze. He slowly continued past her, the ice Queen hugging herself for a moment as she sighed shakily.

"Come on, Elsa..." Vanellope said, she and Ralph walking to the mega kart. "Let's get out of here."

Elsa bit her lip, glancing from them and back at Pitch. She sighed, approaching the child and kneeling down to take her hands. "Vanellope... I care about you very much... and I want you to find happiness. I know it hasn't been easy for you." Elsa bowed her head lightly. "I'm sorry, but... I have to go with Pitch."

Vanellope shook her head with confusion. "Wait, what? Why?"

"Because..." Elsa shifted her weight a bit. "... because I can't leave him alone. I made a promise that I would stay by his side even if things became very bad."

"But you promised ME that we were best friends..." Vanellope whined, shaking her head. "That's not fair, Elsa... he threw us all under the bus, he deserves to be alone!"

"No one deserves to be alone, Vanellope. I will always love you like a sister... but I cannot just leave him to himself." Elsa replied.

Vanellope's expression angered then, tearing her hands from Elsa's. "You're no better than he is... you're a good for nothing liar just like him!"

Ralph crouched down a bit behind Vanellope. "Hey, don't say that, she's just-"

"Go then!" Vanellope shouted. "Go on, get out of here! You're all liars and I don't need you!" Her face twisted, running to the mega kart as she started to sob.

Elsa slowly stood, her lip trembling as she mouthed an 'I'm sorry' to Ralph. She gave him one last lingering glance before turning, walking in the direction Pitch had gone.

When only Bunny, Emily, Alice, Jack and Sandy remained, Sandy watched the mega kart drive off into the distance sadly, plopping down on a rock. Emily gazed at the smoke rising in the distance, falling to her knees as her once beautiful and nurtured forest became ruins. She let her head fall back, crying out in despair as she took in deep breaths. Bunny kneeled down by her, hugging her from behind as she sobbed painfully.

Jack was the first to break the silence, shaking his head. "This is all so messed up." He spoke lowly, sighing. "How could everything go so wrong?"

"... it was our fault for not murdering the Queen when we had the chance." Alice said, growling with frustration as she stabbed her blade into the ground. "I hope that idiotic bastard is happy with himself... any advantage we had staked in this war has just been robbed from us."

"I'm going to gut every one of them for this." Bunny said darkly, holding Emily so her back was pressed against his chest. "And then I'm gonna go right up to Pitch and gut him."

"Let's just try to regroup here for now." Alice sighed, yanking her blade out of the ground and sheathing it. "We can decide our next steps in the morning."

Despite being guardians of hope and faith, everything seemed bleak as they realized the severe misfortune that had been dealt to them today. Half of their party was gone, and their enemies were overwhelming them. It was difficult to tell if things would get better or worse from here, but the group had no choice but to push on through what obstacles or triumphs laid ahead of them.

* * *

 **I wasn't lying when I said this would be an intense chapter... nonetheless, is there hope for Merida? How will our heroes manage a comeback against the Queen at this point? Please stay tuned for updates and leave your thoughts in a nice review in the meantime! Thanks again for reading, and see you next time!**


	32. Small Glimmering Hopes

**Hello again, readers! Last chapter was definitely a downer, no doubt about it. However, I hope that this chapter will prove to be source of uplifted spirits, both for the characters and for all of you! With this in mind, please sit back and enjoy as you hopefully do with every chapter I upload! Thank you to those who have been reading thus far!**

* * *

North returned to the workshop, breathing a sigh of relief. He dismissed the small group of elves that accompanied him, realizing they had been more of an annoyance than an actual help to him in what he needed to do. When he descended to the dining hall, he noticed that it was quiet. Furrowing a brow, he then spotted Gustav leading Angus out of his own stable area where the reindeer were kept.

"Gustav." He called, approaching the young Viking. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh, we were waiting for you to get back." He replied. "The funeral ceremony for Merida is today... Hiccup set up a wooden altar to burn her body."

If North had ever freaked out in his life, in this moment, this surpassed all as he nearly choked. "Gustav, where are they? He has not done this already, has he?!"

Gustav blinked. "N- No, but... what's the matter, why are you-"

"Take me to them, you must take me to them now!" North exclaimed.

Leaving Angus inside, North moved quickly as Gustav led him outside. Everyone was gathered around, glancing up in surprise when North anxiously approached them.

Hiccup sighed. "Gustav, I told you to bring Angus here... it's only right that he-"

"This funeral cannot go on, Hiccup." North interrupted. "You must bring Merida inside quickly."

Hiccup was taken aback, shaking his head. "What are you talking about? North-"

"I am sorry if I seem insensitive or disrespectful, but we cannot waste time, I will explain everything inside." He said as he began to head back through the door. "Follow me, quickly!"

Everyone muttered and looked around in confusion, and though Hiccup's mind was clouded with grief, he knew that for North to be this way at a time like this, it HAD to mean something very important. He resolved to do what was asked of him, gently taking Merida's body and carrying her inside. When everyone slowly followed, Wick blinked a bit as he scratched his head.

"So... I'm not going to light the fire?" He asked more to himself as he followed the group.

"Here, lay Merida on floor gently." He instructed Hiccup.

"North, could you- could you at least give a hint as to what you're trying to do?" Hiccup said a bit tensely, freezing when the larger man placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Listen closely, Hiccup. I know you love Merida more than your own life, and that you would do anything to bring her back. We have all come to love Merida like family, you, like family. You deserve all the happiness in the world, the both of you. I want to make sure that not even death can separate you." North said.

Hiccup exhaled slowly, wiping at his eyes as they teared up. "I... I appreciate everything you've done, I really have. But she-"

"No buts. As I always say, no such thing as too late!" He exclaimed, everyone watching silently as he knelt by her. He took out the small wooden box, extracting the small stone from inside and placing it on Merida's stomach. He glanced up, hoping from the Earth to the skies that this would work. "Manny... I need your help, old friend. This gift was meant for something great. Please... restore Merida to us."

Everyone watched with anticipation as moonlight shined through the window in the ceiling, resting upon the glowing stone. At this, wisps of green light began to string out of the stone, swirling and dancing about Merida's form. Her dull skin, the color having wasted away with her life, began to glow with new brilliance and beauty. Her hair was ignited with a new shade of crimson, and underneath it, her ears began to reshape themselves, the very tips of the top forming a pointed edge. After all of this, the sound of air filling her lungs made them all gasp lightly; they were unable to move as Merida slowly opened her eyes. They shimmered like a bead of water lingering upon the edge of a tree branch; all of the gifts of life contained within a single drop. Hiccup's breathing became uneven and shaky as he looked upon her, Merida's eyes first drifting to him as his trembling hands held hers.

"… M- Merida?" His voice cracked, tears of disbelief threatening to escape from his eyes. "A- Am I dreaming?"

The young woman slowly sat up, staring at him for a moment before looking down at her hands. "I heard voices speaking to me. 'May the blessing of the Derevo be upon you; breathe in new life of grace.'" She sat up a bit more, giving his hands a gentle squeeze. "They showed me everything that happened…" She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his. "Lad… I'll never leave ye again."

Everyone rejoiced then, Rapunzel wiping her eyes as they all hugged each other. Gustav smiled lightly as Hiccup nearly knocked Merida down in an overjoyed kiss. His smile saddened, wishing deep in his heart that Eliza was there. He was still happy nonetheless that Merida was back, North laughing heartily as he lifted both her and Hiccup off the ground in a big hug.

"It is a wonderful miracle! Finally, some hope to guide us through these dark times." North smiled as he placed them down. "I am very much relieved that you have been given back to us."

"Believe me, no one's more relieved than I am." Hiccup breathed, kissing Merida again. He ran his fingers through her hair, gently gracing his fingers over her pointed ears. "I wonder what this is all about…"

"Hiccup, this stone contained the divine powers of the Woodland Elf. It was given to me by the Spirit of the Wood herself, and only when the time was right could these powers be granted. For centuries I could not figure out how to use gift, but now, I am happy to say I have." North smiled.

"Wait a second." Eugene held his hands up. "You mean to say that Merida is an ELF now?"

"Hm… yes, that is exactly right." North chuckled.

Hiccup helped Merida stand to her feet. "North, what happened back in Arendelle? Were we able to defeat Hans and his skeleton warriors?" She asked.

"Not a chance!" Gustav cried. "They've completely taken over!"

"He is right, they have driven the people out of their homes and swarmed the palace. Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa, who most likely does not even know, have lost everything." North added.

"Do you think we'll be able to take Arendelle back at this point?" Kristoff asked.

"I'm not sure... but with Merida back, I think we have a much better chance. And this time, we won't be taken off guard." Hiccup smiled, nodding to her.

"I want to make those card guards extra crispy! Like homemade fries..." Wick grinned, rubbing his branch like hands together.

"Hm... let's see... countless card army led by fire breathing squid, gigantic scythe wielding monster..." North shrugged. "I say we go for it."

"Fantastic! Why not go back to that death trap so we can all die!" Eugene exclaimed sarcastically, throwing his hands up.

"Eugene! This is my cousins' home that just got stolen from them! They would do this for us if it was Corona we were talking about." Rapunzel pouted.

"It is settled then! Anna, you may stay here with Olaf, horses and reindeer... they will all protect you." North said.

"Wait, what? No! I want to fight!" Anna cried.

"Anna... please don't take this an insult, but... like I said before, you don't have a lot of training with combat, and I don't want anything to happen to you. Please, I can fight better knowing you're safe." Kristoff said.

"W- Well, Rapunzel hasn't either!" Anna exclaimed.

"She can deal a lot of damage with that frying pan of hers..." Eugene said, nodding his head to her.

"Anna, we still have our friends out there, and Tooth is also missing. If anyone needs to report back here, you can take what news they bring." North said.

"But... what if something happens to you? What if someone gets hurt again?" Anna frowned.

"We'll be better prepared this time, lass. I'll be tougher to break, and Rapunzel here can heal us faster since we aren't tied to a chair." Merida smiled. "Don't worry about us. We'll get your castle back." She smiled.

"Okay..." Anna sighed as Olaf gently pat her arm.

"You've got us to keep you company." He smiled, nodding to Baby Tooth and Pascal as well.

"Alright, let's roast some card guards!" Gustav exclaimed, fist pumping the air.

Anna bit her lip worriedly, kissing Kristoff goodbye and hugging Rapunzel as North cast down a snow globe. When they all entered it, she sighed, hugging herself as anxiety began to make her insides ache.

* * *

Pitch perked up when he suddenly felt someone take his hand, looking over to see Elsa standing by his side. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, exhaling slowly.

"You should have stayed with them. You would have been better off." He said to her.

"Why?" Elsa asked.

"... because they are right, Elsa." He shook his head. "I have not changed."

She frowned, moving closer to embrace his side gently. "Pitch, I made a promise that I would remain with you... through the best and worst of times. I know that deep down, you want so badly to do the right thing... you just... that want gets lost in everything that's clouding your heart... your mind."

"... I promised you that I wouldn't see her again." Pitch hissed. "And like a fool, she just keeps drawing me back to her, again and again. Maybe this is what I was meant for." Pitch said. "Perhaps I am only accustomed to treachery and chaos... corruption and evil. I simply cannot remain in a serene... beautiful... graceful..." He gently brushed the pad of his thumb against Elsa's cheek for a moment before dropping his hand to the side. "Emily spoke the truth when she said that she has been cursed twice by me. Elsa, everything I touch turns to ashes and ruin. If you stay with me, if you remain too close... you shall suffer the same ill fate."

"I'm not leaving you." Elsa said as he began to walk away, keeping up with him.

"You would endure this hardship? The abuse?" Pitch's voice began to crack. "I will continue to disappoint you, Elsa, I will continue to only bring you grief. I thought that we could create a better life together but I have realized I am incapable of doing that! I thought I could learn to love again, but there is no love in this wretched heart of mine! It is dry, and barren, like a desert, not even a single drop of it to be spared. There is nothing for you here. You desire to have what you have always sought for, what you are willing to give, reciprocated... but you are seeking it from the wrong person."

Elsa shook her head as he turned to leave her again, stopping him when he felt her arms hug him from behind. She rested her head against his back, sighing shakily. "I saw the man you once were... I know he is still in there somewhere, Pitch... underneath all of the darkness, the bitterness, the hatred, he is still there... and if you would just... if you would let me in, let me draw him out, you could aspire to that warm, light place again. You could dispel all of the negative forces within you. Please don't send me away."

Pitch smiled sadly, gently placing his hands on hers clasped around his waist, squeezing them lightly. "Elsa... it is as if you are a victim speaking to their abuser. This isn't right. I am doing no right by you by allowing you to linger here. Your life will waste away with me, devoid of everything you deserve."

"I've wasted enough of my life spending it alone. I can't go back to that... I won't..." Elsa replied.

"You have your family." Pitch said.

"And you are a part of it." Elsa went around so she stood in front of him, embracing him. Pitch sighed shakily as he returned her embrace, shutting his eyes as his fingers danced through her hair.

After what seemed like an age, they broke their embrace to continue walking. They eventually reached the shoreline, Elsa dipping her foot into the water to freeze it. Pitch watched her silently as she walked on the water, stopping to hold her hands out. Ice structures began to rise out of the water, forming a peak at the top to make an ice castle upon the ocean. She turned to Pitch several moments later, taking his hand and leading him to the newly made ice castle.

"You will never cease to amaze me." Pitch gave the lightest of smiles, Elsa waving her hand to make the path to the small island of ice disappear. They entered the castle, Pitch looking around at its splendor and beauty; much like Elsa herself.

"Let's just stay here, Pitch... grow old together...we can live a simple, peaceful life together. No fighting, no struggles..." Elsa sighed as she waved her hand, forming a chair out of ice to sit upon.

"I can't imagine how uncomfortable that must be." Pitch said, going over to stand beside her.

"You become accustomed to it after a while." Elsa said, looking up at him. "My greatest regret is hurting that little girl." She sighed. "That I won't forgive myself for."

"We aren't cut out for that sort of life, Elsa." Pitch rubbed her shoulders lightly. "We don't have the warmth and softness required to nurture children. Do you know why I relished in giving children nightmares?"

"Because the dream pirates drove you to do so when they overtook you." Elsa replied.

"Yes... and no. Indeed, it became my nature... but because I knew that in her afterlife- well, when I thought my daughter had passed on into her afterlife- that her last moments would be etched into her soul... a nightmare to spend all eternity reliving. I secretly feared she would never find peace from it. So I wanted them all to suffer the same... and at the same time, project my own fears upon them. To watch everything they love turn to..." Pitch whisked a small burst of black sand from his palm, watching it twirl and dissipate. "... dust."

Elsa frowned, taking his hand to hold it. They remained idle, silent, like a pair of statues within their castle of ice. Time seemed to not exist there, nothing changing, nothing moving forward.

They were frozen, just as their hearts had become from life's bitterness and spite.

* * *

Alice strode forward through a dreamscape as an echoing voice called her name, approaching a large mirror. She furrowed a brow when she saw Eliza on the other side of the mirror, tilting her head as she stared up at her with little emotion. She was wearing a white dress, when blood began to drip on her from the ceiling. Alice watched in horror as it dripped down her face, arms, staining the dress, turning it red. Alice slowly looked down, blood covering her hands and arms.

"It is upon your hands now..."

Alice looked up, gasping when the Queen charged towards her from the other side of the mirror. She crashed through it, glass shattering everywhere as she broke the barrier between them. Just as she was about to grab Alice, the dream abruptly ended, gasping as she flew up into a sitting position. Jack groaned, shifting a bit as he rolled over to face her.

"Alice...? What's wrong?" Jack asked sleepily.

"I had another nightmare." She sighed. "I wish so badly to know how Eliza is faring."

"I miss her too..." Jack replied, sitting up. "We should get everyone together. If we're going to try to pull off an offense, we may as well do it now. We can't wait anymore."

Alice nodded. "Agreed."

The two got up, seeing that Bunny, Sandy and Emily were already up. They saw Emily resting in a small, uneven hole filled with water Bunny had dug. She was hugging herself, and they noticed that her essence had dulled to a light grey. Bunny sighed, shaking his head as they approached.

"Wiping out most of her forest... it's done a number on her." Bunny said. "It would be like children not believing in us anymore."

Sandy frowned as he gently held Emily's hand, offering her moral support.

"We're going to attempt one last assault today." Alice said. "If we're going to die, we will not do so standing around and twiddling our thumbs. We'll take a few of them with us at least."

Bunny nodded, holding Emily's other hand. "Alright then." He turned to Emily, crouching down to see how she was feeling and if she was up to the task. As they did so, Alice walked off a bit with Jack to speak with him.

"I shall go directly for the Queen." She said. "If you can all manage to keep her cronies off my back, I can focus solely on-"

They gasped when out of nowhere, monkey men dropped in front of them, wielding spears and screeching loudly. Taken off guard, Alice and Jack reeled back, scrambling for their weapons.

"Bunny! Sandy! We've been ambushed!" Jack cried, the two guardians hurrying over to defend themselves.

Emily's eyes widened, looking up as monkey men began to swing through the trees, dropping down and surrounding the entire area. Being pushed past her breaking point, Emily screamed, tapping into the water as she extended her hand, curling it as vines began to sprout from the ground. They wrapped around several near them, twisting and tightening as they threatened to crush them in their clutches.

"If you want her to live, you shall cease your forces!"

The group looked toward the source of the voice, monkey men parting to allow the Queen to pass through them. She stopped several feet away from the group, smirking as Alice scowled.

"Do you honestly think we're going to just going to lie down belly up?" Alice snapped. "Not even in your dreams, you foul git!"

"No, never you, Alice... see, you don't care who suffers in your attempt to take me down... but they do." The Queen answered.

"You're not laying a single finger on her." Bunny said lowly, motioning to Emily. "Not before you put me six feet under, that is."

"How sweet... though I do intend for her to die for... contractual purposes... she was not whom I was referring to." The Queen chuckled. "Maharaja... I think it's time to be a bit less cryptic." She called, glancing behind her as she stepped aside.

As he came up from behind her, following him were several monkey men pulling a metal flat bed, a large cage sitting upon it. When the group saw who lay inside, Sandy cried out inaudibly, gripping the sides of his head in a panic as he tried to rush forward. A monkey minion jabbed him with his spear, taking several to hold him back. Jack's breath hitched as he shook his head in disbelief, Bunny's face twisting with anger.

"I'll rip your bloody arms off you ugly, disgusting pile of muck!" Bunny growled, charging forward when monkey men attacked in response. Emily screamed, hissing as she sent vines sprouting from the ground to stop them.

"My dear, you will either release them and come with us quietly, or the last ounce of life she has will be spilled right before your very eyes!" The Queen hissed, Maharaja dragging Tooth out of the cage. Too weak to fight back, she looked up at them helplessly through half lidded eyes. Maharaja chuckled lowly, yanking her up as he held his sword to her throat.

"Bi ene olon zuun jil khüleesen... tüünii tsus tase yostoi bükh tsaashid nasny baigaa üyed ilüü sain." Maharaja said, making a slurping noise before laughing mockingly.

Sandy glanced over at Emily, biting his lip as his brows twisted with agony. Emily caught this in her peripheral vision, looking between him and the Queen. Her own brows furrowed then, shaking her head slowly.

"I can stand anyone's tears but yours, my dear Sandy…" She whispered, regretfully retracting her vines into the ground. The moment she did, a monkey minion reared their spear back, striking the back of Emily's head hard. Bunny cried out frantically, taking three monkey men to restrain and bind him. They did the same for Jack, Alice and Sandy, the dream guardian inaudibly muttering an 'I'm sorry.'

As Sandy hung his head, the Queen laughed mockingly. "Look at all of you... pretending to be some close knit family. You are nothing of the sort, you would turn your back on each other any time, just like Pitch Black!"

"You know that isn't true, so why don't you just shut up and get on with it?!" Bunny exclaimed.

"Oh... it will be you that is reduced to silence." The Queen smirked. "You think you've moved on from Alice? I think not. A part of you will always long for her."

"Stop trying to make trouble!" Jack shouted.

"I am the Queen of Hearts... I can see all that lurks within it. Even some things long buried and forgotten." She chuckled. "You know, Alice... your two little guardian friends were there the night your family died. But only one tried to help you."

"What is this nonsense you are spewing?" Alice snapped. The Queen grinned, beginning to tell them of the memory.

 _It had been over fifteen years prior, and Jack had been soaring the skies, floating upon the chilled wind of winter. He was in his element, and he felt light as a snowflake. It was then a great light illuminated the darkness, the smell of charring wood filling his nose. He then saw it; a large country home burning to smithereens in the distance. He also heard the distressed cries of a small girl as she crawled through the snow away from the house. Jack looked upon the scene in horror, diving down to help her._

 _Meanwhile, back in the Warren, Bunny had sensed something horrible. Alice had become one of his favorite children, the two having formed a very close bond. His heart skipped in his chest, dashing through one of the tunnels that led to England._

 _As Jack was about to offer his aid, something he heard made him halt to a stop. He furrowed a brow, turning as he heard the distant cry of his name. The voice sounded so familiar, but this little girl needed his help. When the cry of his name came a second time, more panicked, he bit his lip, conflicted. His curiosity got the best of him, glancing back regretfully as he soared towards the sound of the voice._

 _Not long after, Bunny arrived, shaking his head with disbelief at the horrid scene. He dashed over to Alice, trying to help her when she tearfully begged for him to salvage something- or rather, someone, back in the house. Bunny whipped his head towards the one bedroom window; he knew exactly where to go. Without hesitation or fear, he sped into the house, trying to avoid the flames and dodged falling wood and debris once inside. He hurried up the stairs, part of it collapsing as he scrambled to keep from falling. When he reached the second floor, he turned the knob to Lizzie's room, but it would not budge. He gritted his teeth, going into the room next to it and jumping across into Lizzie's open window. He gasped, furrowing a brow when he saw a young woman asleep in the bed- no... when he touched her hand, he covered his mouth when he realized the young woman was already dead. But there was something off about this... before he could investigate further, he heard Alice's wailing from outside as he ran to the window, and he saw policemen and firemen gathering to try and put out the flames as well as take her away. She screamed for him, Bunny crying out for her as he lingered in Lizzie's window. He fell to his knees, his heart breaking as he witnessed the once whimsical, curious and sharp little girl and her world be reduced to ruins._

The Queen smirked, glancing over at Jack. "Yes... the noble... valiant... Jack Frost... left an innocent, cherubic little girl to perish..."

Bunny furrowed his brows, glancing over at him. There was no denying that the memory she spoke of resurfaced, reliving that fateful day in his mind. Jack's heart sunk, remembering Emily's words when she showed him the prophesy in her sacred waters. Before he could say anything however, Alice growled.

"You will not tear us apart! You will not turn us against each other! We are not like your company where you would without regret stab each other in the back! Regardless of what happened that day, only one man is to blame for it and that man is dead, rightfully so!" Alice shouted.

At this, Bunny snapped out of his stupor silently, any growing resentment, anger and hatred that had been festering inside him towards Jack dissipating. Alice's words broke the Queen's plan, and as Jack glanced over apologetically, Bunny simply resolved to take his ill feelings out on the Queen. "You're no better, you giant squid." He said lowly.

The Queen grimaced when she realized her plan to divide and conquer them had failed. "Very well... take them away!" She growled angrily, turning around with Maharaja as the group was dragged and shoved towards the direction they had come from. Alice's eyes burned into the back of the Queen's head, wanting nothing more than to destroy her that instant. She, as well as the others, knew where this path would lead them…

… however, they had no idea what awaited them.

* * *

Vanellope kicked a small pebble around, sighing as Ralph approached her.

"Look, kid… I know we've had a rough last couple days, but… we've got no plan, no way back to the arcade, and no one to help us figure out either of those." Ralph said. "Unless we're going to spend forever in the middle of nowhere, we're going to have to do something."

"Well what do you expect us to do? Magically make someone appear out of thin air?" Vanellope rolled her eyes, resuming kicking the pebble around.

"We can go back to Alice and Bunny and the rest of the group and ask them for help! I'm sure they need OUR help too." Ralph suggested.

"Ralph, are ya nuts? You heard Emily pretty much banish us from her 'mighty forest' or whatever…" Vanellope groaned.

"But Vanellope, if we go back and just… ask nicely, maybe they'll give us a chance!" Ralph exclaimed.

Vanellope scoffed, shaking her head. "You're pretty clueless, aren't you?" She asked. "You wanted to get out of the dump back in your game, do you think asking nicely will do that?"

Ralph scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I mean, I never really actually-"

"You think if I went up to King Candy, or the other racers, and asked if I could tag along, you think they would let me?" Vanellope asked.

"Van, that's not what I-"

"You know what we are, Ralph? We're nobodies!" Vanellope exclaimed. "We're the trash in our games that no one cares about, that people just don't want around, no matter where we go or who we talk to!"

"That is not true, Vanellope!" Ralph replied. "You are NOT trash and you are NOT a nobody!"

"Ralph… I don't actually think that about you either… and… I guess I'm lucky to have you as a friend." She smiled sadly. "But facts are facts. You're just a bad guy and I'm just a mistake."

"You are not a mistake, Vanellope! Y- You're possibly the most important person in your game!" Ralph exclaimed.

Vanellope chuckled at that. "I think you ARE going nuts, Ralph." She said as she scooped up the pebble, tossing it in the air and catching it in her hand repeatedly.

"I- I'm not kidding, Vanellope! You…" Ralph bit his lip. "… you were not some mistake, you were meant to be someone great, someone important, like… a star, or something!"

"Ralph, King Candy- well, Turbo, was important. Emily is pretty important. The guardians are important. Even that evil Queen that everyone hates, SHE'S important. Me? I'm not important. Never was, never will be." Vanellope replied.

"Yes you are!" Ralph argued.

"Ralph, stop trying to make me feel worse!" Vanellope whined.

"I'm not, I'm telling you the truth!" Ralph exclaimed.

"It's not true, and you better stop lying like everyone else or I'm driving away without you!" Vanellope screamed.

"Vanellope, I'm not lying, I swear, I-"

"I'm not listening, I'm covering my ears and walking away!" She shouted, becoming distraught as she slapped her hands over her ears, a lump forming in her throat as she headed towards the mega kart.

"Hey, come on, let me just- Vanellope, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't know if it was real or- come on, I'm trying to- hey!" He ran over when she hopped in the kart, starting it up.

"Everyone else lies to me, I'm not listening to yours either." Vanellope said.

"Vanellope, you are not going anywhere, do you hear me?" Ralph pointed a finger at her.

"You're not the boss of me, I can do whatever I want!" Vanellope said, glaring at him angrily when he tried to lift her out of the seat. "Don't you- Ralph, you put me down!"

"Vanellope, I care for you too much to let you go off by yourself! Now you are going to stay right here and listen to me!" Ralph demanded.

"WHY?!" Vanellope screamed, stomping her feet on the ground. "So I can just be brought down some more, so I can hear about how I'm useless and stupid and dumb I am?! There is not one thing that can convince me I'm worth anything in this world or in any world!"

"No one has their picture on the side of the cabinet and is worth nothing!" Ralph shouted, and silence followed his statement as Vanellope's expression changed, her struggling ceasing immediately. Ralph placed her on the ground gently, and her expression was blank as she stared up at him with disbelief.

"… what did you say?" Vanellope asked barely above a whisper.

Ralph heaved a sigh, shutting his eyes tightly for a second. "I didn't tell you at first because… well, between everything that happened, it was hard to squeeze something like this in, and… I didn't want to get your hopes up yet… I had wanted to find out more first. But then we got thrown into this whole mess, and…" His arms hung at his sides. "I saw it after I wrecked your kart back in Sugar Rush. That's what made me come back and beg Felix to fix it for you.

Vanellope furrowed her brows. "So… you only came back because you thought I was a somebody?"

"No, no, that's not THE reason… I- I mean… I realized what I did was stupid, but I needed to know what it meant, Vanellope… because I think you're the strongest, bravest kid… in the whole universe." Ralph crouched down on one knee. "Even if it DOESN'T really mean anything… you're important to ME. You're my best friend."

Vanellope's eyes glazed over with moisture, smiling lightly. "And you're still my hero, Ralph."

He smiled lightly in return, scooping the child up in a hug. The two remained this way for some time before he placed her back down. "Look, I don't know what we'll be dealing with… but we have nothing more to lose by going back to them and at least… trying."

Vanellope let his words sink in for a few moments, sighing as she nodded. "Okay… let's hope Emily doesn't try to give us a 'game over.'"

Ralph chuckled lightly, giving her a nod. "That's the spirit."

They both headed back to the mega kart, getting in as Vanellope resumed starting it up. She made a u-turn to head back where they had come from, exhaling deeply. Ralph let his head rest back, hoping to codes that they would be given another chance. If not for him, than for the little girl beside him who had been dealt bad cards her whole existence.

He hoped that for once, she would just be given a chance. Was that so hard to ask?

After some time, they stopped near the cave where all the drama had first transpired, stopping the kart and getting out. When they approached the temporary, lower quality camp that had been shoddily set up the prior night by the others, Vanellope's steps slowed to a stop, Ralph's soon after as they both immediately sensed that something was off.

"Where is everybody?" Vanellope asked, looking around.

"I don't know…" Ralph replied, continuing forward a bit. He crouched down to inspect some things, noticing track marks up ahead that seemed to have led both in and out, as well as several dead, withered vines spread about in some places. As he was rummaging around the area, he spun around when he heard Vanellope gasp suddenly.

"Ralph, look!" She cried.

Vanellope turned, furrowing her brows when she held out an object for Ralph to see. When he did, his eyes widened.

It was Jack's staff.

"Kid… I think something bad happened here." Ralph said slowly.

"But… I don't get it… they were just fine yesterday! Well, sort of…" Vanellope replied.

Ralph turned, squinting his eyes as he followed the path of the track as far as his vision would allow him. "Hey… glitch me up to the top of that tree."

"Uh… why?" Vanellope asked, tilting her head.

"Just do it, I want to see something. You know I'm good as seeing some things from far away now." Ralph replied, smirking only for a moment before resuming being serious.

Vanellope did what he asked, the wrecker taking a few moments to balance himself and gain his footing as the breeze blew his hair back a bit.

"What are we doing up here, exactly?" Vanellope asked.

It was Ralph's turn to gasp then, pointing at something in the distance. "Vanellope… is that…?"

Vanellope squinted her eyes, seeing a group of people in the distance, miles and miles away. They widened then, looking up at Ralph with worry. "You don't think it's really-"

"I think it is… and that definitely looks like that evil Queen lady… can't miss her even from THIS far away." Ralph replied.

"W- We've gotta do something!" Vanellope exclaimed. "She's going to give them all a 'game over' if we don't stop her from taking them back!"

"Couldn't agree with you more, kid… but how are we going to stop them?"" Ralph asked.

"Are you kidding me? YOU, hello! You can crush anything!" Vanellope held her hands out.

"Come on, I can't take on an entire ARMY!" Ralph threw his hands up, crying out as he lost his balance. He grunted painfully as tree branches broke his fall, finally landing backside up on the ground as he held up his index finger. "… I'm okay…"

Vanellope rolled her eyes, glitching down so she was next to him. "You be the brass, leave the stealth up to me, okay?" She smirked.

"Sounds good to me…" Ralph mumbled, groaning as he slowly got to his feet and dusted himself off. His expression became serious then, realizing just what it was that not only he, but the child he valued above almost everything in his heart, was about to do. "You promise me one thing though, okay?"

"What is it?" Vanellope asked.

"If things go sour… I don't care what's going on with me, you high tail out, you understand?" Ralph asked.

"Ralph, come on, I am NOT leaving you behind." Vanellope said.

"Vanellope, I am not going to let you get hurt because of me. I can handle myself. And I can fight a lot better knowing my best pal is safe." Ralph said. "Promise?"

Vanellope frowned a bit, nodding. "Okay… then we better make sure this mission stays extra sweet. Ugh, I sounded like Taffyta there… bleh!" Vanellope stuck her tongue out, making Ralph laugh for a moment.

"Okay… guess this is it." Ralph said, giving Vanellope a nod before they both went back to the mega kart, starting it up and making their way through the remaining trees before it opened up into a wide, open, and barren land where the rest of Emily's forest had been.

Against all odds, against everything either of them had been known for since they were programmed, Ralph and Vanellope were now the last beacons of hope against the Queen and her forces.

* * *

 **I have to say this; this last scene with Ralph and Vanellope is one of my personal favorite scenes in this entire story. This was a bit of a longer chapter because I decided to upload this scene here, but I hope you all enjoyed nonetheless! Thank you all again so much for reading so far, and please stay tuned for the next update which will be coming up in a few days! Please leave a review with your thoughts in the meantime!**


	33. Making Grand Escapes

**Good evening, readers! Are you ready for intense action? If so, great! Because there will be plenty of that in this chapter as our heroes struggle against the Queen's forces. Will they succeed? Read on and find out! Please enjoy as always, and thank you for reading!**

* * *

The group struggled as they were dragged into the mountain, forced onto their knees once inside, within the very center. Their hands were bound, and even if they wanted to fight, they watched helplessly as monkey men lifted Tooth's cage with her inside, hanging it back on the large hook mounted upon the inner wall.

They needed to do whatever they could to save her now, even if it meant cooperating with the Queen.

"Hans, search them for any hidden weapons..." The Queen commanded, going over to Turbo to whisper something to him.

Hans went over to Sandy first, checking him over and deeming he had no physical weapons on his person. He then went over to Emily, who was conscious now. She glared darkly at him, her arms prickling with thorns.

"Attempt to touch me, human, and you shall suffer the consequences." Emily growled.

Bunny sneered at Hans from beside her, but narrowed his eyes when Hans held out a hand, producing a small flame. "Well, if your whole body is a weapon, then I'll have to destroy your entire form. I don't think you want that."

Bunny struggled against his binds. "Like bloody hell you will!"

Hans glared at him, going over to forcefully unhook his weapon belt. He then reared it back like a whip, smacking Bunny hard in the face with it before handing it off to a monkey minion. He then proceeded to Jack, pursing his lip. "You had a walking stick with you. Where is it?"

Jack scoffed. "Gee, I don't know, I must have lost track of it on the way to this fantasy resort."

Hans grabbed Jack by his shirt collar, shaking him a bit. "Don't you trifle with me, lowly scum!" He shouted before shoving him back. Alice widened her eyes wrathfully, trying to get to her feet. Hans quickly stopped her, moving towards her. "Hm... what could you be hiding... and where?" He smirked.

"Try anything funny and I assure you, you'll regret it." Alice spat.

"Hm... you're not really in any power to say that, are you...?" Hans asked, removing a glove to trace his thumb along her face. When it graced along her bottom lip, Alice growled, baring her teeth before biting down on it hard. Hans hissed in pain, yanking his hand back before looking down at it in shock. He chuckled lowly then, still wincing a bit from the pain. "So, that's how this is going to be, is it?" He asked, going back around to stand behind her, his hand moving her hair behind her ears. Alice's pupils shrunk as her anger boiled over, giving his hand a death glare as it moved down her neck, along her shoulder, threatening to slip under her dress collar. "I'm sure you're hiding something under here..." Hans said as Alice managed to twist herself just enough to be able to elbow Hans somewhere quite unpleasant. The arrogant prince cried out painfully, falling right to his knees behind her as he crawled to the side. He curled up, whipping his head around to shoot her a glare. "You are going to..." He winced. "... pay dearly for that...!"

"Enough!" The Queen shouted, approaching the group. "Where is the rest of your party?"

"I don't have to answer any of your questions, you slime ball!" Bunny shouted.

Turbo nearly lunged at him, the Queen holding up a hand to stop him. She nodded to one of the monkey men holding the shock pole they had used on Tooth. Bunny was taken off guard when they went up behind him, crying out painfully when he was shocked. "Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't quite hear what you said... care to repeat yourself?"

Emily screamed loudly then, thorns coming out of her hands to sever her ropes. As she shot forward towards the Queen, she smirked when the Phoenix came to her aid, spewing fire at Emily to subdue her. As she curled up, too weak to fight back against him, Bunny's breath hitched as his heart lurched in his chest.

"No, Emily! EMILY!" He screamed, monkey men having to hold him back despite his hands being tied.

"You can either answer my questions, or you can watch her burn!" The Queen hissed.

"A- Alright, fine, FINE!" Bunny screamed desperately. "Tell it to stop, please!"

The Queen snapped her fingers, the Phoenix ceasing its attack. Emily breathed wheezily, laboriously, as she lay on the ground. Her form was grey, crackling, as if she were turning to ashes.

"I love when noble individuals are reduced to pleading, broken wrecks." The Queen chuckled. "Now, let me pose my question again; where... is the rest of your party?"

"We told Pitch to sod off because he told us about the deal he made with you. Elsa went wherever he went, and Ralph and Vanellope went along their own way too. What happened after that, I don't know. We went to sleep, we woke up, and there you lot were!" Bunny replied.

"Now, was that so hard...?" The Queen asked. "We shall send out a search team later on to check the premises..." She noted out loud. "Now... I've been pondering what I could possibly do with you all when I would finally find opportunity to place you in captivity. I suppose I could just test the boundaries of your physical endurance... but I don't think that's quite enough to satisfy me." She tapped her chin. "No, you've given me far too much of a hard time to settle with just that. Luckily, I have something that will torture you even further... well, at least two of you. As for the rest of you, it shall be easy to come up with something; you're all so easy to work with. Someone who loves always has something to lose."

"Just proceed with whatever you have planned and get it over with!" Alice shouted.

The Queen glanced at her, chuckling darkly. "As you wish." She looked to Hans, now recovered from his... prior injury. "We'll start by introducing them to our new guest... she's royalty now after all, they should come to acknowledge her as such."

"Gladly, your highness." Hans replied, shooting Alice a glare before disappearing deeper into the mountain.

The Queen continued to pace back and forth, wearing a slight grin as her gown dragged along the floor. "You see, my little Alice... there is a reason why my empire has arisen, and yours has fallen. You try to do things the right way, the honorable way. The way of love, and truth. But I told you once before, when we first faced off against each other; this world is only meant for raw, well-ordered, ruthless individuals. All others are doomed to be squashed by the iron fists of those who retain those qualities. Unless, of course... such individuals were to join them." She smirked, glancing to the side when Hans returned. "Ah... how precious. My tentacles twist with joyous pride!"

Small, red heels clicked along the stone ground as Eliza, the Red Queen, made her way into their midst beside Hans. Her expression was stoic, emotionless, her face painted red as her hair was done up in a neat bun, a crown upon her head. She wore a red dress that made her almost look like a chess piece. She carried her clover shaped scepter, stopping in front of the group.

If she had not appeared so drastically different than when either of them had seen her last, Alice and Jack would have never recognized her. But her heart and mind, like her appearance, had been reformed, metamorphosed in the Queen's image. Her spine was straight, her head held up high. Her eyes burned into theirs, and they were all reduced to silence as they questioned whether or not the girl before them was reality or imagination.

"You've got to be joking..." Bunny muttered under his breath, a monkey minion hissing as they prodded his shoulder with a spear.

"May I introduce to you all... my ward, and heir to my throne. The new Red Queen, who shall rule alongside me upon my empire's completion." The Queen gestured to her as Eliza stepped forward.

Jack bit his lip, shaking his head in disbelief. "Eliza... hey, come on, this... you're just joking right? You... you know this is wrong... come on, look at me... we're your family, we've been fighting to try to protect you..." His voice shook a bit, furrowing his brows deeply. "Eliza, talk to me..."

Ignoring Jack's pleading, knowing it would do no good, Alice's eyes burned into the Queen's. "What did you do to her?" She asked lowly.

The Queen shrugged. "She simply sought my counsel; those who were in charge of her care in your absence did not satisfy her, so she decided to affiliate with me instead."

"Give her back to me..." Alice's eyes became crazed, and monkey men had to hold her down as she was pushed past the boundaries of her sanity. "GIVE HER BACK TO ME!"

"You dare to disrespect your Queen!" Eliza shouted. "You shall be punished for your insolence!"

"Eliza, listen to yourself, this isn't you! You would never turn against us like this!" Jack cried.

"I will sever every last putrid tentacle from your body and watch you writhe, I will murder you in cold blood, you heartless BITCH!" Alice shrieked, her screams animalistic as she thrashed about. The monkey men could barely restrain her as she fought against them, about to lose control of her when Eliza stepped forward. She waved her scepter to the side, Alice flying in the direction Eliza pointed it and colliding into the mountain wall harshly. As she landed onto the ground with a thud, her vision became blurry and her hearing muffled as her eyes became half lidded. She could just barely hear Jack crying something out at Eliza before he too was flown to the side, skidding to a stop a few feet from her. As he pushed himself towards Alice with his feet, the last thing she heard was him calling her name, as if from far away, before she fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

Vanellope parked the mega kart over on a rockier part of the mountain where it was a bit more difficult to see and access. She glitched Ralph over to a safer area where they climbed up the side. Luckily, no monkey men were posted to guard, all of them inside the mountain instead to help maintain their new prisoners. When they reached the top, glancing over the peak where the downward slope dipped down on the other side, they exchanged glances when they saw monkey minions and a few card guards in the lighter areas, and the eerie glow of the cybugs in the darker areas.

"There's a lot of bad guys down there." Vanellope said quietly.

"I'll say… how in the heck are we supposed to sneak them out of there?" Ralph asked.

"'We' are not sneaking them out. I am sneaking them out. You can stand by here and help everyone to the kart." Vanellope replied.

"Woah, woah, hang on a second. You are NOT going in there by yourself." Ralph said.

"Come on Ralph, you're my pal and all, but you're not the lightest on your toes, and someone is bound to notice some big, blocky guy walking around the joint." Vanellope replied flatly.

"Hey, I am not blocky." Ralph sighed. "But you have a point… it's just, what if you run into trouble and I'm not in there to help you?" Ralph frowned.

"I'll glitch myself out of any trouble I get myself into. If things get super bad, then you can come after me, okay?" She asked.

"Well, I don't want things to GET to that point but…" He sighed worriedly. "Fine. I'm going to be a nervous wreck until you get back though. No pun intended."

"Yeah, yeah, okay mom…" Vanellope rolled her eyes playfully. "Just stay put and leave the sneaking up to me."

As Ralph stood by and awaited her return anxiously, Vanellope glitched into the mountain, hiding behind large rocks and in tucked away corners. Her eyes darted all around, keeping watch of passing monkey men and card guards. As she kept up the search for her friends, she hoped she would find them alive, and soon, without running into any sort of trouble.

Meanwhile, Alice had awoken from being knocked out too long ago, glancing over at Jack forlornly. He winced as he tried to move over enough to be close to her.

"Jack… what have we done?" She asked, her voice strained.

He sighed lightly. "It's not what we did, it's what we didn't do. We didn't protect the people that needed us the most… and I didn't make sure the Queen was gone for good back in London when I had the chance."

"Em…" Bunny nudged her lightly with his elbow, grunting as he turned himself a bit more towards her. They were chained to the wall now, and the Pooka gasped as a cybug skittered over in the shadows to poke her with one of its front legs. "Hey! Scram!" He shouted, his brows furrowing deeply as his voice shook. "Leave her alone!" He kicked it in the face with his foot, making it hiss and retreat further into the low light. "Emily… come on, you have to wake up… they're thinking you're…"

Sandy rested on his side, absolutely devastated. All of his friends, his Tooth, were in this situation and he was helpless to stop it. One wrong move, and Tooth's life would be taken without a second thought. He was always chipper and optimistic… but regardless of what he tried to convince himself, he could find no hope or light to keep his morale strong.

"Jack… I knew this fact many years ago… and I was a fool to have thought it would change." Alice sighed, hanging her head. "Everyone I love… everyone I hold dear… dies a horrible, violent death."

"Don't say that." Jack said, trying to maintain faith that they would get out of this somehow. "We'll get through this. I thought it was all over when I lost you that day in the tundra, and-"

"This is DIFFERENT, Jack!" Alice exclaimed. "We are all captured, Tooth's life is hanging by a thread, Eliza has been poisoned against us with the Queen's venomous words and heaven knows the conditions of Arendelle and the remaining guardians!"

Vanellope bit her lip, finding herself wandering into the darker part of the mountain, where the Queen, Eliza, and Turbo dwelled with the cybugs and some card guards. When she heard a familiar voice, she gasped inaudibly to herself.

"That sounds like Alice…" Vanellope whispered, trying to listen closer to determine the direction it was coming from.

As Bunny tried all he could to help Emily, his ears flickered when he heard something. He looked into the darkness, squinting his eyes. "Who's there? You leave us alone!" He shouted.

"I think I'm the last person you want to say that to!" Vanellope whispered, smiling when she came into the low light.

"Blimey, it's Vanellope!" Bunny's ears perked up, elbowing Jack and getting everyone's attention. "What are you doing here, you little ankle biter? You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"Be quiet! Anyone of those stupid heads could be around here!" She gasped when she heard cybugs hissing nearby.

"How are you going to manage to sneak us all out of here, exactly?" Alice asked. "It's a miracle you made it down here unscathed as it is."

Sandy beamed; finally, a ray of hope had shone down upon them!

"You guys, come on… you don't give me enough credit!" Vanellope chirped. She glitched each one out of their chains, Alice and Jack nursing their wrists as Bunny took an unconscious Emily into his arms. "Okay. I'm going to glitch you guys out of this creepy place, okay? Ralph is waiting for you outside with the mega kart."

Sandy felt a new swell in vigor within him then, shaking his head. Alice gasped upon his communication to her.

"Are you mad?! Staying here would be suicide!" She exclaimed.

"Wait, what? Are you kidding me, Sandy?" Jack's eyes widened.

Alice's expression softened then, sighing lightly. "I suppose you're right."

"What? What is it?" Bunny asked.

"Sandy is opting to stay here… he said he will not leave until he can get Tooth and bring her to safety." Alice said. "He knows any of us would do the same for our loved one."

Bunny sighed, giving him a nod. "Sandy… just be careful, alright, mate? Don't go killing yourself again."

"Alright, there's no time to waste. Let's do this as quietly as possible and not be seen." Alice said.

"Uh, I think we're a little too late for that." Vanellope commented, looking around as suddenly, dozens of eyes glowed eerily in the darkness. The cybugs began to hiss, charging towards them. As Alice whipped out her vorpal blade, Sandy dove in front of her, telling them he would take the heat. Before Alice could protest, Vanellope cried out. "Bunny, hold Jack's hand!"

"Okay… why am I doing this now-" He was cut off when Vanellope glitched him, Emily, Alice and Jack out of the darkness, keeping up her rapid pace as she finally reached the peak of the slope.

Back in the cave, Sandy held his own until he was snatched up by Turbo, the cybrid shaking him. "What's going on here? Where are the others, how did they get out of here?!"

"Now Turbo, let me handle this." The Queen said as she approached, Turbo holding out a hand.

"You don't need the stress. I can squeeze the juice out of this stupid little-"

"I know what my body can or cannot handle." The Queen said, narrowing her eyes at Sandy. "Give him what he wants for now. Lock him in the cage with the fairy. You and I shall take our forces and hunt the others down."

Turbo growled, baring his teeth as he reared his hand back, tossing poor Sandy right into a wall and knocking him out.

"Ralph!" Vanellope cried out as they made their way down the outer side of the mountain. "Ralph, I've got them!"

"Vanellope!" Ralph hurried over to them, waving Bunny on as he carried Emily.

Jack whirled around when Alice stopped suddenly, looking back towards the mountain. "Alice come on! They're bound to notice we're gone!"

"… Eliza… I can't leave her in there." Alice said quietly.

"Nonononono, Alice, we cannot go back in there right now. Listen to me, we have to go!" Jack said, taking her shoulders and turning her towards him.

"Jack… she's… they took her from us… she's just a little girl… she can't hold her own with all of those monsters!" Alice shook her head, on the verge of tears.

"Look, I want to fly back in there and snatch her up just like you do Alice, but we can't do that right now! If we're killed on sight, then NO one will be able to save her! They're not going to hurt her, so at least we don't have to worry about that until we can come back and have a better chance of fighting against them." Jack said.

Alice scoffed. "No…" She shook her head. "They already have." She exhaled sharply, sparing one last glance behind her as a swell of sound began to erupt from inside. They then ran to the mega kart, getting inside.

"Jack, we found your staff!" Vanellope said as she started up the vehicle.

"Oh wow, you are the best!" Jack exclaimed, taking it from the back of the kart.

"Uh, kid?" Ralph asked.

"Yeah Ralph?" Vanellope replied, putting her kart into gear.

"You may want to start putting the pedal to the metal right about now." Ralph said. When they all looked out the windows, Alice stepping up to open the sunroof and look behind them, they all widened their eyes.

Cascading down the outer slope of the mountain, monkey men driving some of the cybugs that had reshaped themselves into cars while the rest joined Turbo and the Phoenix in flight, the Queen mounted on Turbo's back, and card guards soaring on their flying cards along with Hans, were all making their way straight towards the single vehicle the heroes were now inhabiting.

"Sweet mother of monkey's milk, literally!" Vanellope piped, gulping as she slammed the gasp petal down.

"SEIZE THEM!" The Queen screeched, pointing her scepter forward.

"Alright kid, just concentrate on driving, okay? We have a good distance ahead of them and at least we don't have any trees to worry about-" Ralph cleared his throat, catching himself as Bunny narrowed his eyes. "… sorry."

"I wouldn't say that too soon!" Alice called out, Jack poking his head out the side window to see that the monkey minions were quickly gaining up on them. "Jack, you have your staff back, and I suggest you prepare yourself to use it!"

"Seems like we don't have much of a choice, do we?" Jack replied, gasping when card guards began to dive towards them, throwing their spears. "Look out!"

He and Alice ducked, Vanellope crying out as the sharp points pierced the vehicle. "I'm taking fire over here!" She shouted.

"Ralph, how good is your aim?" Alice called out to him.

"Uh, okay, I guess?" Ralph replied.

"Take anything that hits this car and cast it back at them; your brute strength won't do any good now because you can't reach their distance otherwise!" Alice called back. "Jack, cover me!"

"You got it!" He replied, grabbing his staff and hopping out the window to shoot ice sparks at the card guards.

As he knocked them off their flying cards, Alice stuck her upper body out of the sun roof, closing one eye as she wielded her pepper corn gun. She aimed, turning the crank as she began to shoot at the monkey minions and their cybug "cars" gaining up on them. More came up to replace them however, Maharaja shouting at them as they began to shoot arrows at them. Bunny ducked down inside the vehicle, holding Emily flush against him to avoid any attacks. Ralph stuck his hand out the window, yanking spears out of the metal and hurling them at anyone who came within his range of sight.

Hans narrowed his eyes, conjuring a fireball and shooting it straight for Alice. She deflected it with her umbrella, smirking at him. He growled, continuing to send fireballs hurling towards them. Vanellope was no amateur however, zig zagging a bit while still maintaining her speeds.

Jack knocked down another card guard, trying to keep up with the car as he hovered near it. When he saw the Phoenix and Hans gaining on him, Turbo and the Queen not far behind, he groaned.

"Man, I could really use Elsa right now…" Jack said to himself, dodging an attack by the Phoenix.

Inside the vehicle, Emily began to slowly open her eyes, Bunny gasping.

"Em? Emily, are you okay?" He asked, patting her face.

As she sat up, her eyes widened as she witnessed all of the chaos around her. However, as she realized the barren land they were travelling upon was once her forest, her teeth clenched, looking up at him.

"They shall pay… they shall pay for their spite against me…" She said lowly, and Bunny noticed dark clouds gathering in the sky out the window as the wind outside picked up.

Alice shot another wad of hot, boiling tea at the Phoenix, trying to keep him at bay as Jack and Hans sent their attacks flying at each other. Monkey men began catching up to the mega kart, hopping off the cybugs and onto the sides as they tried to get into the windows.

"Alice, your knife!" Bunny shouted.

As she quickly handed the bladed weapon to him, Bunny held Emily with one arm, stabbing and kicking at monkey minions as they tried to climb into the vehicle. Ralph grunted, rearing his hand back as he sucker punched any who attempted to attack him or Vanellope. As all of this was happening, Emily looked upon the barren landscape, anger and despair filling her as the pressure threatened to overload her senses. When a clash of thunder echoed in the air, Bunny glanced out the window as lightning began to light up the skies. He looked back down at Emily, her expression dark as suddenly, rain began to hit the windshield. Alice gasped when Jack got hit hard by one of Hans's attacks, growling as she soared right towards him. Wielding her hobby horse, she shrieked as she reared it back, knocking him right off his card before he could even react. As he cascaded down, a couple of cybugs broke his fall, remaining stationary as he mounted one of them. He shouted to go after them, the cybug answering his command.

The Phoenix screeched loudly, the rain falling heavier and thunder crashing louder in the sky. It was dousing him, reducing the effectiveness of his attacks. Jack took this opportunity to attack him, keeping him away from the mega kart. Alice whirled around, diving straight towards the Queen. Turbo growled as he swiped his arms, the heavy rain making it harder to see as Alice unleashed her fury. The Queen hissed, using her tentacles to try to defend herself. Turbo felt helpless, wanting to simply dodge Alice at this point, but he knew if his movements were too jerky, he could possibly knock the Queen off of him. He tried to speed up away from Alice, but the angered young woman would not have it. Alice grazed the Queen's face with her hobby horse, nearly flinging her off Turbo's back as her head spun round. She held her hands up defensively, her tentacles wrapping around the outside of her dress up to her chest.

"Please! Let us be!" She shouted.

"You dare to make such a request of me!" Alice shouted above the wind and rain. "I will destroy every last fiber of you and you shall never cause harm to another again!" Alice reared her hobby horse back, about to strike the Queen down when she felt herself being spun around in the air.

The last thing she saw was Hans' eyes burning into hers, holding one of the monkey minions' metal poles. He stared at her darkly as he held her arm with one hand, the other shooting forward as the Queen witnessed the metal prongs pierce Alice's face.

When Jack heard Alice's frantic shrieking, he gasped, whirling around to see her being electrocuted. "NO!" He screamed, his voice cracking as Hans shoved Alice away from him. He grinned darkly as he watched her fall, nodding to the Queen.

Jack dove down, catching Alice before she could hit the ground and holding her close to him. She was no longer conscious, and tears poured from his eyes when he saw her state.

Meanwhile, the rain began to fall harder, hail cascading down with it. Vanellope began to whimper, wincing when she heard monkey minions not far outside her window. "Ralph, they're right there!" She cried.

"Just keep focusing on driving, kid, I'll handle the bad guys!" Ralph replied.

"But Ralph, I can't even see anything!" Vanellope exclaimed. "It's too dark even with the flood lights!"

"Just concentrate, okay?" Ralph said as he sucker punched another minion. "Everything's gonna be fine!"

Jack practically shoved himself and Alice in through one of the windows, soaking wet and gasping for air. "Alice is hurt, she's hurt really bad!"

When Bunny saw Alice's state, his hand shot to his mouth. "What the bloody hell happened to her?!" He gasped, finding it difficult to look at her.

Emily gazed upon Alice, a part of her feeling somber towards her. Alice had been understanding, and though she had been human once, she had no doubt that Alice was honorable and resilient.

Just then, As Vanellope continued to try to drive away, glass smashed inwards from her window, a monkey minion cackling as his hands shot in to try to pull Vanellope out. "RALPH!" She screeched.

"You leave her alone!" Ralph shouted, about to stop it when something yanked him back, the car jerking to the right from the force. Ralph struggled as Maharaja himself restrained the wrecker, shouting to his minion.

"Okhin avakh, tom amitny tüüniig avchrakh!" He shouted.

"No, let go of me!" Vanellope struggled, trying to glitch away but the monkey minion was relentless as her legs were already halfway out the window. She grabbed the wheel to hang onto it, the kart swerving to and fro.

"Vanellope!" Ralph shouted as he tried to pull away from Maharaja.

Bunny whipped out his boomerang, about to aim for the monkey minion when a back window broke, another monkey minion trying to nab Jack's staff. He was forced to help the ice guardian instead, Vanellope's grip on the wheel loosening. Emily gazed upon the scene, slowly rising into a seated position as her eyes narrowed. As the monkey minion cackled, yanking Vanellope out of the car and about to restrain her, vines shot out from inside the kart, grabbing Vanellope and yanking her back in. The child gasped for air, in shock as Emily placed her back into the seat.

"Resume your prior objective, leave the vile creatures to me!" Her voice began to deepen in a hiss, dark aura enveloping her as she gripped the sides of the window. As the monkey minion tried to attack her, Bunny cried out, fearing she would be too weak to defend herself. As he reached out however, Emily emitted an ear piercing scream, dark green vines snaking down her eyes as thunder crashed in the sky. They wrapped around the monkey minion, the creature unable to escape them despite his thrashing. As he choked from the strangulation, Emily growled as she tightened her grip on the sides of the window. Suddenly, large, sharp thorns emerged on the vines, impaling the monkey minion to death. As they retracted, she tossed him into another one approaching the kart from behind, knocking them both back as they sped on. As her vined retreated back to her, Emily groaned as she collapsed. Bunny gasped, catching her as she passed out from expending so much of her power.

"No, we cannot lose them now!" The Queen shouted, Turbo speeding towards them. His claws outstretched, he grinned wickedly as he threatened to grab the vehicle from off the ground.

"I'm gonna crush you into road kill, you suckers!" He growled, his claws grazing the roof and leaving deep scratches in the metal as he tried to grab it.

Ralph was still struggling with Maharaja, getting an idea. "Jack!" Ralph cried, the ice guardian trying to shoot ice sparks at him from the back window, but kept missing. "Let up for a second!" He shouted. He pulled himself forward, grunting as he slammed his back into the side of the kart. This slightly loosened the monkey king's grip, allowing Ralph to turn around to try to grab him. Maharaja jumped onto the roof, crying out as his sword impaled the roof, the blade just missing Bunny's head.

"Crikey!" He exclaimed, his heart pounding.

Ralph jumped up on the roof, trying to keep his balance. "Hey troll face!" Ralph shouted as Maharaja yanked his sword out of the roof. "Eat bugs!" He shouted, rearing his hand back as Maharaja charged at him. He sucker punched him hard, the monkey king slamming right into Turbo's face as he was about to sink his claws into the kart. The two flew backwards, the Queen crying out as the impact tossed her off of Turbo's back. As she went soaring down, Hans cried out to one of the cybugs, the creature diving down to catch her. The impact slowed them down, Ralph watching from the roof as they sped away.

Turbo flew down to the Queen, taking note of her condition and placing her back on him when he deemed she was alright. He growled as the others drove farther ahead of them, swearing under his breath. "I was so close!" He growled.

"Let them gain a lead on us for now." The Queen narrowed her eyes as another crack of thunder sounded, rain continuing to pour. "We still have the sandman and the fairy in our captivity; if they wish to see them alive again, they will give themselves to us." Maharaja mounted one of the cybugs, the Queen turning to the rest of her forces. "Come! Let us retreat, the Phoenix is weakening!"

They all turned back, leaving the heroes to get away for now. Though most of them had made it relatively unscathed, the same could not be said for Alice, Jack choking back a sob as he tore off a piece of her dress hem to wrap around her face.

* * *

 **Though our heroes made it out of the mountain alive, Hans blinding Alice is obviously a huge blow to their defenses; will they stand a chance now? Can this be remedied? There is still more to this story my friends, so please stay tuned! Don't forget to leave a review!**


	34. Difficulties Gaining Momentum

**Good afternoon, readers! This chapter is going to convey a range of emotions and some shockers, but we are getting down to the wire with this story. The end will soon be upon us in time! After the last intense battle, how will each side move forward? Read on and discover more answers! Please enjoy as always!**

* * *

Pitch groaned when he felt a gentle shaking, sitting up and rubbing his head.

"You must come quickly." Elsa said, hurrying as she glided down the transparent stairs. He saw her form move across the lower level, planting his feet on the floor to follow her. When he reached the entrance to their ice castle, he saw her wave a hand, an ice bridge extending to the mainland as she began to meet someone halfway. Pitch narrowed his eyes warily upon seeing Jack, blinking a bit in surprise when he was carrying Alice. Elsa helped him , all of them approaching and passing him. Pitch would have been lying if he said he was shocked at her condition; the cloth covering her face was quite bloody, and Jack was an emotional mess. It was then he saw others coming. Ralph approached with an exhausted Vanellope on his shoulder, and behind them, Bunny helping a weakened Emily as his arm was like a support around her waist. As he strode towards them, they stopped, Ralph continuing past him as Emily glared at him darkly.

"Step aside. It is degrading enough that we require your assistance." Emily said.

Pitch said nothing as they walked past him, remaining idle for several moments as he shut his eyes.

"Thank you for this." Jack said quietly, Elsa wincing for a moment when she lifted the cloth off of Alice's face. She began to dab it with a damp cloth, exhaling slowly.

"Jack, I'm so sorry about all of this... about everything." Elsa replied, shaking her head. "We should have been there."

"I know you didn't mean anything against us." Jack said as she gently cleaned Alice's face. "Sandy is still there... they captured Tooth, and... we have no idea if she's even going to make it. Eliza's been brainwashed, she's working for them now."

"Eliza?" Elsa gasped. "That means..." She gasped louder, her hands covering her mouth as her heart sunk. "No... Anna..." She shut her eyes tightly.

"We have no idea what state it's in. I'm sorry, Elsa, but... it's like everything we tried meant nothing. Everything is so messed up..." Jack hung his head.

"We will bring them down, Jack." Elsa said, her expression serious now. "If even one thing happened to my sister... either way, they're going to suffer the consequences for what they've done."

"We can't do a thing with Alice like this, Sandy left behind and Emily still trying to get her strength back." Jack said. "We dealt a few good blows on their end also, so... hopefully that will buy us enough time to muster something."

Elsa nodded. "Alright." Elsa said, squeezing the now bloody cloth and wringing the water out into a clear bowl. "These herbs Emily made will definitely help... as for her..." Elsa sighed, shaking her head.

Jack bit his lip, nodding. "Okay. Thanks again, Elsa."

The young woman rose, walking out of the room to allow Jack and Alice some peace. She stopped when she saw Ralph and Vanellope, clearing her throat as she approached. "Hello Ralph... Vanellope. How are you feeling?"

"Doing okay, thanks." Ralph smiled lightly at her, giving her a nod. "Thanks for lending your place."

"It's no trouble at all." Elsa replied, glancing over at Vanellope. "Vanellope? Are you doing alright?"

The child glanced at her warily before looking away. "Yeah, just peachy; I was just in a high speed car chase and nearly suffered a 'game over' last night, but other than that, I'm-"

"Vanellope, come on..." Ralph sighed.

"What? What do they care how we are, we're just a bunch of misfits to them!" She waved her hands.

Elsa frowned, approaching the girl and kneeling down in front of her despite her protests. "Vanellope... I'm so sorry about all of this. I never wanted any of this to happen, and... Pitch and I have each made some terrible mistakes. But... the family I have back in Arendelle... they may be gone forever now. I wasn't there to protect them." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I don't want the same thing to happen to you. Please... even if you do hate me, I just... want to keep you safe now."

Vanellope sighed, feeling a bit bad for her now. "So... is your family gone?"

"I don't know." Elsa sighed lightly. "But it would console me somewhat if I knew I had a family here."

The raven haired child smiled lightly, hopping off her seat. When Elsa drew her into a hug, she didn't resist at all, hugging her back. Ralph smiled, relieved that Vanellope had given her another chance.

Emily was curled up in a small basin of water, attempting to rejuvenate after the prior night's events. Bunny sat near her, watching over her when his ears perked up a bit. They pinned back down defensively when he saw Pitch standing there, baring his teeth.

"What do YOU want?" Bunny spat.

"... I want to thank you." Pitch started. "For taking care of my daughter."

Bunny glared. "Trust me, I didn't do it for you. So if you have the nerve to think that-"

"I know that." Pitch interrupted. "You owe me nothing, that is plain. However, I'm still thankful nonetheless." He took a step closer. "I have taken more than what can be measured in any sort of value. Even if I could attempt to repay you, I could not. I have made poor choices, even to this day. But we have a common enemy now. I realize I cannot run away from everything which causes me discomfort anymore."

"Congratulations, Sherlock. So you'll help us out now because you've got no other choice. I won't trust you if you bet your life on it. I know you would stab me in the back any chance you got." Bunny growled.

"Understandable. But when the time comes, I will help you to destroy the Queen." Pitch said.

"Why? Because she actually hurt someone you cared about now, is it? It didn't matter that half of us were on the bloody chopping block, and that Alice practically got her eyes gouged out!" His voice cracked as he shouted.

"What happened to Alice was unfortunate. My actions have caused harm to many. The least I can do now is help you to finish what you all started." Pitch replied.

"I would rather be skinned alive than accept your help now. You can sod off for all I care! Neither one of us need this, just leave us alone!" Bunny shouted, turning around to resume crouching near Emily. Pitch lingered for another moment before taking his leave.

Deep down, he knew that it wasn't going to be sunshine and rainbows between him and Bunnymund. He also knew that he had a surmountable amount of making up to do, if that was even possible. It may very well take an eternity to do so, to make amends for all of the harm he had caused, directly or indirectly, to others. As he passed Elsa, he glanced over to see her speaking to Ralph and Vanellope. She was far better at this than he was, he deduced.

Despite how much he had tried to convince her that he would only give her a cursed life if she stayed, he knew there was no changing her mind at this point. His heart pained by the thought of all the suffering she would have to endure. He walked onto the front balcony of the ice castle, looking out at the ice bridge she had formed leading now to the barren wasteland that was once his daughter's majestic forest. He sighed deeply; there was no option now, he had to push any lingering wavering for the Queen out of his heart. If he was going to fall back into darkness, he could not do so with her. If that was his fate, he would do so of his own accord.

* * *

Merida gritted her teeth as she was about to slice another card guard's neck, North stopping her.

"No. Leave one alive for questioning." He said, Merida nodding firmly as she shoved the horrid creature to the ground. She emitted a cry as she sliced another behind her, stabbing it a second time once it went down.

Hiccup and Gustav gave each other a firm nod, joining Eugene, Kristoff and Rapunzel as they gathered.

"Well, Toothless and Fanghook finished off the Executioner with Wick." Hiccup said. "So as far as we know, we've reclaimed Arendelle."

"This is very good. Now, we must leave several here to help clean up and keep an eye on things." North said, taking the two crystal necklaces and returning them to Hiccup and Merida. "If anything suspicious happens, use these to call on me to help from the workshop."

"Aye." Merida said, taking the necklace along with Hiccup.

"I can help clean! Just throw them all in a big pile and I can burn them!" Wick beamed.

Just then, a Yeti appeared out of a portal that popped up, running up to North and exclaiming in his language. North's eyes widened, staggering back a bit. "No..." He breathed.

"North? What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked, concerned.

He turned to them, his expression filled with alarm. "I must go back to the workshop. Those of you who are coming, hurry!"

He rushed into the portal with the Yeti, Rapunzel, Kristoff, Eugene and Gustav. When he returned, Olaf waddled up to them, appearing sad.

"None of them will wake up..." Olaf frowned, looking behind him.

North gently ushered them out of the way, gasping when he saw Pascal squeaking mournfully as he sobbed. The little chameleon gently nudged at Baby Tooth with his nose, but the tiny fairy remained motionless as she lay in a curled up position. All over the workshop, where the fairies had taken up residence after Tooth's capture, they lay scattered all over, none of them moving a muscle. North fell to his knees, shaking his head as he exhaled shakily.

"This can only mean one thing..." He spoke barely above a whisper, Rapunzel furrowing her brows as she tried to console her little reptilian friend.

Anna came into the room then, tears running down her cheeks. "North, I... I tried to help them... all of a sudden they just fell, one by one... I couldn't stop it."

"No, you would not have been able to." North said, rising back up to plop down into a chair. "Tooth is dead."

Everyone gasped, glancing at one another. "How do you know?" Kristoff asked, confused.

"Survival of fairies depend on survival of Tooth. If they have perished..." North held his head in his hands, the normally tough-as-brass guardian choking a sob. "I'm so sorry, Tooth..." He whispered.

Wick hung his head, everyone's expression matching his forlorn one. Gustav shook his head, picking up an axe then. "First Eliza, then they tried to kill Merida, now another one! We can't let them get away with this!"

"What we must do, is try to keep the spirit of the guardians alive." North said. "Jack, Alice, Bunny and Sandy are out there, if we do not help to keep the children believing in us, they will all perish, and Wick and I will perish." He sighs. "But... who will collect the teeth in her place...?"

"Uh, what are we, chopped liver?" Gustav asked. "We have dragons, we have keen eyes, why can't we do it?" He hopped up on the table. "We just beat a whole army of those guards, we can get a few teeth, can't we? Can't we?" He shouted louder.

"Yes we can!" Olaf exclaimed happily. "Just, how are we doing this again?"

North perked up, smiling sadly as he approached Gustav and pat his shoulder. "Tooth would be proud, Gustav." He handed him a satchel. "Wick shall help you in your travels."

"I'll go!" Rapunzel beamed. "Pascal, you're going to help, right?" The chameleon looked up at her sadly, squeaking at her a bit. "I know... it's heartbreaking about these poor little fairies... but maybe if we do their job good enough, we can at least help the other guardians." Pascal nodded, finally agreeing as she scooped him up on her shoulder.

"Be careful out there." North nodded to them. "I will never forget this."

As they all left, he turned to see Anna gently placing the dead fairies on the table. She glanced at him, sighing lightly as she sat down. She hoped for a miracle, the absence of little wings fluttering about creating a somber atmosphere in the workshop.

* * *

Night fell over the land, Jack sitting in the window of the ice castle as he looked out. He glanced over at Alice, sighing as he hoped she would wake up soon. As Emily was recovering, she had helped make more herbal salve to put on Alice's face, and it was already proving to heal her skin nicely. He blinked when he thought he saw something in the distance, squinting his eyes as he grabbed his staff. He floated out the window, touching down on the mainland when he gasped upon realizing who was approaching.

"Sandy!" He cried, hurrying towards his friend. When he got close enough, he slowed to a stop, furrowing his brows when he saw Sandy carrying someone. "Sandy, is that... is that Tooth? Why does she look different...?"

The dream guardian didn't reply- not that he could verbally anyhow- he simply looked up at Jack with agony and despair in his features, exhaling inaudibly. Jack looked down at Tooth, her wings missing and her feathers dark and dull. A terrible thought crossed Jack's mind then, his head shooting up to meet Sandy's gaze.

"Sandy, she's not... is she...?" When Sandy closed his eyes, nodding once, Jack lowered to his knees as his heart sunk. "Oh no..." He breathed, his chest tightening as he placed a gentle hand on her. "I'm sorry." After a few moments, he got back to his feet. "We should bring her inside." He motioned to the castle. "Everyone else is in there... Pitch and Elsa included."

Sandy nodded, Jack helping him to bring Tooth inside. They set her down gently, Jack taking a blanket to drape over her. He sighed, biting his lip as he sat back against the wall. Sandy remained knelt by her, his head bowed as he took her hand from under the blanket, holding it in his.

"I'm going to let the others know you're here." Jack said, Sandy nodding once before Jack got up, sighing as he wiped a few tears from his eyes. He first went to see Bunny, who was watching over Emily as she slept. "Hey... how's she doing?"

"Better, thanks." Bunny replied. "What's going on?"

"Sandy came back." Jack replied.

Bunny hopped to his feet then. "What?!"

He was about to dash out of the room when Jack stopped him. "Bunny, don't act too excited around him, he's-"

"Jack, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to see him again, get out of my way!" Bunny exclaimed.

"Tooth is dead, Bunny!" Jack cried, the Pooka standing perfectly still for a moment.

"I- I'm sorry, what?" Bunny tilted his head, his voice quieting. "I know I heard you wrong."

"You didn't." Jack said, hanging his head as he wiped at his face. "Sandy brought her back here... he couldn't save her in time. Just... take it easy with him."

Bunny's breath hitched. Tooth had been Bunny's friend for almost the longest, his heart breaking as he nudged Jack out of his way. He burst into the room where Sandy was, looking upon the scene as he fell to his knees. "Come on Tooth, don't..." His voice cracked, and sobs ripped from his chest as he let his head fall forward, his ears pinned back as he hugged himself. One hand rested on Sandy's shoulder, squeezing it lightly as they both mourned for their fellow guardian. Jack eventually wandered into the room, sitting on the floor on the other side of Bunny. They each placed an arm around each other, the three guardians not believing that their beautiful, beloved friend was truly gone.

* * *

"You are all blithering IDIOTS!" The Queen screeched at her card guards. "I leave you simpletons with one task, one MEASELY task and you manage to mess it up anyhow!"

Maharaja growled lowly; though he had the satisfaction of knowing Tooth had endured a long, painful death, he still wanted to claim her head. He was similar to the Queen in this way, that was for certain.

"It seems that their vertically challenged friend stayed behind and took her." Hans said as he noted some golden sand scattered about the open cage. "I was wondering why he was absent from the group earlier. Either way, it will make no difference being she already perished."

"I don't care if she had perished or not, I will not tolerate another prisoner breaking away from our captivity!" She winced suddenly, groaning as she used the wall for support.

"Woah, hey!" Turbo skittered over to help keep her up. "You okay there, sister?"

"I'm leaving you in charge... I'm retiring to my dwelling." She strained. "No one disturb me for the remainder of the evening, is that understood?" She hissed as she slowly made her way into the darkness.

Hans shot a glare at Turbo, not happy that she placed the cybrid in charge over him. Whatever was bothering the Queen must have been affecting her judgment as well; he wondered why she had been remaining so close to the gargantuan buffoon lately, but Hans was one to not like being shown up.

Once under the veil of darkness, the Queen fell to her knees as her breathing quickened. She did not want it to be true, but as pain surged through her body, she covered her mouth as she muffled a cry. She was a fool to deny that her one night of negligence and vulnerability had come to this, knowing that the result was nothing she had wanted or was geared for. She was in agonizing pain for several hours until she felt something wriggling about her feet, lifting her gown to take a step back. She blinked, perplexed by the creature writhing before her. It seemed to have ivory skin like her, and short, dark hair that clung to its face from being soaked with bodily fluids. Its arms were jointed, its upper body more human like and its lower body insect like, almost similar to a spider. It whimpered as it attempted to stand on its legs shakily, staggering a bit as its eyes reflected in the low light, turning to look at her. As it made its way over, the Queen furrowed her brows lightly, her heart skipping a beat as she took a step back. A tidal wave of different feelings washed over her; confusion, curiosity, emotional resistance and awe, to name a few. However, as she realized what she was to this creature, and it to her, she could not fight the urge to make some sort of connection with it. This connection was solidified the moment it uttered its first word:

"... mama?"

The Queen inhaled sharply at the hushed whisper, the creature staring at her in the darkness. She shifted her weight a bit as she swallowed thickly.

"Yes, child. I am." She responded. "You need not fear me." She froze when the thing skittered over to her, clinging to the hem of her dress. She saw that its face was human like as well, holding her hands up for a moment before cautiously reaching one out, firmly patting it on the head. It was then she realized that the child was female. "You must heed my words now, child. You are to remain here in the shadows. There is only one you may make yourself known to, and no others. You are a great risk to me."

The small creature tilted her head, and the Queen understood that others would capture her scent in this state. She briefly told the creature to follow her, and it obeyed as it continued to cling to her dress and some of her tentacles. She hid her away in a small space before seeking out a cybug skittering about. "Fetch Turbo and bring him here." She said quietly, glancing up at him when he came to her several minutes later. "It is done."

He rolled his eyes. "Fantastic, I had to deal with snot-nosed brats for a decade and now I have to deal with-"

"And you think I wanted this?!" The Queen hissed. "This is the last thing I need at this moment! Fetch water so that I can clean off its afterbirth; I don't want anyone to know about it!"

"Hey, it takes two to tango, sister!" Turbo growled. "Why not just get rid of the stupid thing?"

"Because it is an extension of me. Any extension of me shall be treated the same as I would my own physical form. She shall be protected until I can make other arrangements." The Queen said.

"She?" Turbo raised a brow.

The Queen hissed. "Just do as I say!"

Turbo rolled his eyes, turning to bark at some of his cybugs. The Queen turned away from him, sighing as she frowned deeply, never having such an overwhelming sense of uncertainty in her existence.

* * *

The following morning, Jack blinked his eyes open as he felt stirring beside him. Over the course of the night, he had wandered back to where Alice was, everything a blur. He glanced over, becoming more alert as he sat up quickly.

"Alice?" Jack called her name quietly, taking her hand. "Hey... are you okay?"

"Oh... I feel like I collided head first into a train..." Alice groaned, sitting up to hold her head when she stopped. "Why is there a cloth on my face?"

Jack took a deep breath, slowly reaching over to undo it. When he removed it, he sighed with relief that at least her face appeared relatively back to normal, even her eyes had healed up... but appearances was all her eyes were going to improve in, Alice furrowing a brow.

"You were hurt pretty badly." Jack said softly.

"I can imagine... is it night already? You could have at least taken me somewhere with windows..." Alice said.

Jack exhaled slowly, biting his lip. "Actually, it's morning." He said, pausing for a moment. "We found Elsa and Pitch, she made an ice castle on the water just off the mainland. That's where we are right now."

"Then why in bloody hell..." Alice's voice faded, and everything from the day before started to come back to her. When she remembered the last thing before going unconscious, she frowned deeply, touching her face lightly. "... he blinded me." She spoke barely above a whisper.

Jack nodded, a lump forming in his throat as he took Alice's hands in his. "I'm so sorry, Alice." His voice cracked.

Alice took in a shaky breath, nodding as she allowed this to sink in. A million thoughts were running through her brain at once. "How did everyone else fare? Did we all make it?"

Jack hung his head, squeezing her hands. "Well... everyone in the kart made it back here in one piece. A little banged up, but..." He looked up at her then. "... Sandy... came back last night."

"Oh... good." A thought came to her then, gasping to herself lightly. She pondered further upon it for a moment. "Can you bring him here? I would like to ask him something."

"That's going to be a bit hard right now." Jack replied.

"Why? He isn't in that bad of a state, is he?" Alice asked, concerned.

"... He doesn't want to leave her side." Jack replied.

"Whose? Not Emily I hope, surely she must be alright..." Alice asked.

"No. He... he tried to save her..." Jack wiped at his face as tears began to well up in his eyes again. "Tooth is gone."

Alice's spine visibly slacked, the young woman closing her eyes tightly for a moment. "Oh..." She breathed. "Oh Jack, I... I'm sorry."

Just then, Jack's head turned when he noticed Sandy floating in the doorway. "Sandy..." He stood, the dream guardian floating up to Alice. He was also well aware Alice had been blinded, the young woman turning to face his general direction.

"Sandy... I'm so sorry for your loss." She sighed. "I wish I could have done something more."

Sandy nodded, patting her arm lightly to convey that he understood. Alice glanced up then, clearing her throat.

"Jack, would you mind giving Sandy and me a moment?" She asked.

"Sure." Jack leaned over to plant a brief kiss on her cheek, getting up and heading out of the room. As he wandered about the castle, he stopped as he noticed Pitch leaning against the balcony, looking out. He slowly approached him, leaning on the balcony's railing beside him. Pitch regarded him with a glance, the two silent for some time. "It was good of Elsa to let us stay here." He started, Pitch glancing at him a second time.

"Indeed, it was." Pitch replied. "She has a better heart than I."

"She has a heart, period." Jack responded, looking at the Nightmare King. "I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree, Pitch, we both know that."

"What of it?" Pitch asked.

"You must have seen her." Jack became a bit emotional then, shaking his head. "When you went to make that- that bizarre deal with the Queen, you... you must have seen Tooth there... Eliza too... and you just walked RIGHT by them. You could have DONE something." Jack clenched his teeth, standing up straight as turned to face him fully. Pitch remained as he was, looking at Jack with little emotion. "Answer me, damn it! My friend is DEAD, my sister is... is brainwashed! The least you owe me is an answer!"

Pitch stood up straight then, turning to face Jack. While Jack was becoming tenser by the second, Pitch remained poised and refined. "You should know by now that I am not a very merciful person, Jack." He replied.

"That's NO excuse!" Jack growled. "You see one of my friends dying, my family being TORTURED and you just LEAVE them there?! Wh- What if it was Elsa, huh? What if it was her dying in that cage?! What if it was Emily's mind being squeezed like some- some rag?"

"All of your points are quite valid. But Jack, I already know your nature. You would help someone in need, you would even help someone as despicable as myself." Pitch replied.

"Ohhh no. No... if I saw you rotting somewhere I would walk right past you." Jack said lowly, shaking his head.

"I don't blame you. But that is simply not my nature, Jack. I have an objective in mind, everything I do benefits myself and the few I hold dear to me. I know it is wrong. I was like you, once. Valiant, generous, heroic. I would have offered my hand to the lowest of the low and rise them above their toils. This darkness that has festered in me for so long... it would take so much time to undo it, Jack. And the harder I try, the more persistent in dragging me further into the shadows it becomes. I will address the accusations you have claimed against me. I speak the truth when I say I was not aware of your sister's presence, the Queen kept her concealed from me when I had visited. I did see Toothiana... she was already in a very poor state." Pitch explained.

Jack scowled. "I hope that you're miserable." Jack says. "You deserve nothing good. NOTHING." He jabbed a finger at his chest.

"No, Jack. Do not be as hateful as I am. It is not who you are. I already know I am undeserving of happiness and love. I have caused harm to those I do love. I must live with it each day of my life." Pitch replied.

"Why did you even try to join our side, Pitch? Why not just try to kill us all from the very beginning?" Jack asked.

"Because I began this journey with good intentions. But that is what paves the road to darkness Jack, and I am already well along that path. The true test of change came, and I failed. I do not expect to be forgiven for all the evil I have done in my lifetime. Any good I had done before I was changed could never amount to it." Pitch said.

Jack glared at him. "You know, Pitch... in the beginning of all this... I actually felt bad for you. I wanted to HELP you. What an idiot I was. You know why you can't be helped? Why you can't change? Because deep down, you don't WANT to. Everyone around you has suffered because of it. So do yourself a favor and go back to the space under the bed where you came from." Jack spat, turning around and storming back into the castle.

Sandy glanced up at Alice, patting her hand lightly. He gently reached up to place his hand on her forehead, the young woman falling asleep moments later after they finished their discussion. He had tied the cloth back around her eyes, and after she fell into a deep sleep, he closed his eyes as he concentrated, dissolving into golden sand and entered into her mind.

Once there, he opened his eyes to take in his surroundings, realizing he had made it successfully into Wonderland. He was quite impressed by the beautifully surreal scenery, smiling lightly as he floated forward.

 _'Follow your way forward until you reach a waterfall, the stone carved into my image. There, you will find what you need. Take the bottle placed nearby and collect the nectar from one of the violet flowers there. Collect only from the flowers; the violet water in the lake has a side effect that shall make me vertically challenged; I mean no offense, but I desire to remain more than three inches high.'_

Sandy located the small bottle, emitting a light aura as he took it into his hand. He then saw various large, violet flowers emitting their own aura, about to approach them when someone appeared in his path, stopping him. The Cheshire cat grinned, swishing his tail as he did so.

"Well, you must be the Sandman. I was expecting your arrival. Such a pity Alice's eyes were nearly gouged out, she could barely see anything clearly as it was. Luckily, the nectar from those flowers only show the bare minimum; only what is most important. It is subtle, sometimes cryptic, but effective nonetheless in showing one the right path." He said to Sandy. "You are much like someone else I know; short in stature, but noble and wise beyond their years. Luckily you don't seem to lecture as much as the caterpillar though; I rather like your muteness. Easy on the ears, and I didn't have to be the one to exert effort in getting your tongue. Isn't it lovely when things work in your favor without having to actually working for it?" He chuckled. "I cannot say the same for your situation, Sandman. You must understand something very critical between Alice and the Queen. Their connection runs quite deep into the root, you see. A connection that intertwined is nearly impossible to separate. Even if you do manage to murder the Queen in cold blood... her influence upon Alice may continue long after that. In truth, it may be fated for the two to always be a curse to each other, even in death."

Sandy exhaled sharply, giving Cheshire a firm nod. As he turned to leave, the Cheshire Cat made one last remark.

"Alice's life was fated for much suffering. I have a feeling it shall only continue even if you ensure the Queen's downfall. If not Alice herself, then those who carry her bloodline shall. The Queen is an extension of Alice's mental psyche; so as long as she remains, so shall the suffering between them."

The dream guardian shut his eyes tightly for a moment, nodding. As he collected the nectar before taking his leave, he felt a twinge of pity for Alice; was she always meant to live such a wretched life?

Jack had returned to Alice's bedroom, sitting by her side. When Sandy began to emerge from her mind, he jumped a bit in surprise, raising his brows when golden sand began to extract itself from Alice's forehead. When Sandy fully materialized, he shook his head a bit, his hand ruffling through his own hair until a couple pocket watches clattered to the floor. Jack blinked, snickering a bit.

"So... you experienced Wonderland, huh?" Jack asked. "Did you meet any of her... friends?"

Sandy nodded, heaving an exasperated sigh. He then produced the small bottle containing the purple liquid, motioning to Jack to wake her.

"What is that, Sandy?" Jack asked. When Sandy gave him a flat look, he held his hands up. "Okay, okay, jeez..." He leaned over, shaking Alice gently. "Hey... Alice. Sandy needs you to wake up..." As she shifted a bit, Jack gently kissed her forehead, helping her to sit up. Sandy motioned for him to take the bottle and have her drink its contents.

"Did you find it, Sandy?" She asked sleepily. When she felt the cool surface of smooth glass being placed in her hand, she straightened up a bit. "Thank you. I'm hoping this works or else my ability to fight will be no longer." She took in a deep breath, unstopping the bottle to drink. When she finished it off, she held her hand out to the side, Jack taking it before holding her hand.

"Alice, what... what did you just drink? What's going on?" Jack asked.

"If this goes as planned, I'll be able to tell you in a moment." Alice said, sitting in silence for a minute or two. "Remove the blindfold."

Sandy did so, Alice's eyes closed once he took the cloth off her face. She slowly opened her eyes, her pupils dilated and reflective with a bit of a purple hue. She looked all around, taking in her surroundings as she was now able to see in her "shrink vision." Everything was a shade of purple, outlines of people, objects, and enclosed space shown in a white, chalky quality visual. Her eyes gravitated towards Jack, who was staring at her with shock when she looked directly into his own.

"Alice... can you-... can you see me?" Jack breathed.

"So to speak... but yes." She smiled lightly, briefly giving Sandy a nod of thanks.

Jack beamed then, his eyes lighting up as he embraced her. Alice smiled as she returned it, Sandy smiling sadly as he looked upon the scene. Alice noticed this after a few moments, turning to take his hands.

"Sandy, I'm going to find a way to restore Toothiana." She said. "I know that can be possible once we destroy the Queen."

The dream guardian nodded, the two sharing a brief hug. "We must all rest now, we need to regain our strength. I suppose Pitch and Elsa are fighting alongside us again, that should help. Perhaps we can use Pitch as a sacrifice."

"Pfft yeah, I wish." Jack rolled his eyes. "I'll never forgive him for this."

As the three of them bid each other goodnight, they did not realize that not far off in the distance, opposing forces were arriving to set up for initiating battle the next morning.

* * *

 **Oh no! With Tooth's passing, are the remaining guardians doomed as well? Also, with a newborn child, will the Queen's ambitions finally be dulled, or will she continue her path of destruction to the end? I'm sure you all have many questions, so please stay tuned for updates! Thank you all for reading, and see you next time!**


	35. Supreme Final Battle: Part One

**Hello again, readers! If you couldn't tell already, we're really starting to draw nearer to the exciting conclusion! Each side of the board is going to pull out all the stops! Who will prove victor? Who will survive and who will perish? I hope you are ready for some action, because the next couple chapters are chock full of it! Please enjoy as always!**

* * *

The Queen looked upon the creature resting in the small space, tilting her head as she observed her. She glanced over when Turbo approached, the two remaining silent for some time.

"Are you going to name this kid, or what?" Turbo asked suddenly out of the blue.

The Queen raised her brows a bit, honestly not even having thought of this. "I wouldn't know what to call her."

"Well don't ask me, I'm not good with all this sentimental stuff." He settled down, curling up as he yawned. "If I didn't have this weird cybug instinct to 'spread and devour,' she wouldn't even be here. I freaking hate kids."

"I'm not very fond of them either. However... it is easing to know that a part of me may survive." The Queen remarked.

"Why wouldn't ALL of you survive?" Turbo asked. "We pretty much have this in the bag."

"Because we are all like stars, Turbo." The Queen sighed. "Like empires and those with vast power, stars rise and they fall. At their peak, they shine for the entire universe to see. They look upon all the greatness and despair below until they eventually become a part of it, no longer separated. And when they fall, they shine their brightest."

Turbo picked his head up, glancing at her. "That makes... no sense."

"What doesn't?" The Queen asked.

"Wouldn't they shine the most when they're basking in all the glory?" He asked. "Like when I had so many trophies I couldn't count them all."

"No." The Queen replied. "You shine brightest just before the collision. It is in that moment you give your all because it is the last that they shall all remember of you, the most vivid image in their minds. It is the opportunity to fall with all the greatness that you built to reach the peak, with all the power you displayed in your existence. It is also the last opportunity for revelation, for redemption. To attain that in the last moments of your life would make all your life before that worthwhile."

Turbo rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a load of malarkey to me. I'm going to sleep now." He yawned, resting his head and closing his eyes."

As he did so, the Queen returned her attention to the creature, curling up a bit more in her slumber as she hugged herself. The Queen noticed her shivering a bit, whimpering lightly. The Queen pursed her lips a bit, tentacles slowly emerging from under her dress to coil around the child without strangling her. The creature instantly calmed, a small smile gracing her face.

"... Perhaps I shall further insult Alice... she renamed Jack's sister Eliza... I shall give this child the second half of her own sister's name. I shall call her 'Beth.' Yes... that is what I have decided." She looked up above her into the night sky, the stars seeming to mock her after the story she told Turbo. "I shall allow no harm to come to you while there is life in me. You must survive. You must succeed me."

* * *

The following morning, Ralph slowly blinked his eyes open, groaning a bit as he sat up and stretched his arms. He planted his feet on the floor, scratching his head. "Hey... how are you feeling, Vanellope?" He asked, glancing over only to see her bed empty. "Huh. Boy, she's up pretty early." Ralph was a heavy sleeper; he had to be, having spent most of thirty years sleeping in a pile of bricks. He shuffled over to where Jack and Alice were, the two awake but still resting. "Hey, have either of you seen-... uh... know where Vanellope is?" He asked, not wanting to insult Alice.

"You don't need to fret, I can see again... sort of." Alice chuckled.

"No, we haven't... I wonder why she isn't with you... maybe Elsa's with her?" Jack replied.

Ralph shrugged. "Yeah... they are friends again so... maybe I'll just go see if-"

They all heard a shocked cry then, Elsa running into the room in a panic. "You must come quickly, they all must have stationed out there overnight!" She exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Alice threw the covers off, unsheathing her blade as she strode briskly down the hall, Jack following her. When they reached the front balcony, Alice's eyes widened, Jack swearing under his breath as he ran back to wake the others. As Alice grimaced upon all of the monkey minions and card guards led by Hans and Maharaja, Jack soon returned with Bunny, Emily and Sandy as they joined her. Elsa stood behind them with Pitch as Ralph called out for Vanellope further back. "Well, you all certainly know how to rudely awaken someone!" She shouted to them.

"Well, I figured it would be best to just wait to wake you from your beauty sleep rather than jostle you; it's a bit of a lost cause in your case anyhow!" Hans shouted back as they all stood on the mainland. "At least you don't have to look at your horrid reflection anymore." Hans smirked.

"Speak for yourself!" Alice spat.

As Elsa waved her hand, the ice bridge disappearing, Hans laughed. "Do you really think that's going to hinder us? Besides... you're going to be coming right to us any moment!"

"Yeah right, so you can kill off more of us?" Jack shouted.

"Well, you may be right about that..." Hans replied, nodding to Maharaja.

As the monkey king grinned, holding out his hand, everyone gasped.

"Ralph!" Vanellope screamed, kicking her little legs.

Upon hearing Vanellope's voice in the distance, he ran over to the balcony, his eyes widening when he looked over everyone to see her being held up by Maharaja. He wondered why she wasn't glitching away, when he saw it;

A glitch proof lock around her waist.

Ralph's heart skipped a beat, placing his hands on the sides of his head. "Vanellope!" He cried out. "You let her go right now or I'll come over there and crush you!"

"I don't think so." Hans replied. "The Queen was very specific about demanding that we retrieve her... see, she's quite unhappy that she helped you all to escape, so she has her own plans in store for little Penelope here."

"It's Vanellope, you Gobstopper!" She shouted. "And when Ralph gets his hands on you, he's going to squish your guts out like a gusher!"

"I could not listen to that obnoxious voice all day..." Hans groaned, waving his hand. "Take her away."

As several monkey men snatched her up, making their way back to the mountain, Jack cried out as he gripped his staff, flying after her. He was stopped when several card guards levitated on their flying cards, pointing their spears at him and blocking his way. Alice gritted her teeth, soaring towards him. "Jack! You and I shall go after her, we are the fastest! The rest of you, stay here and keep them from coming after us!" She shouted, helping Jack to defeat the card guards blocking their way by slicing through them.

"Tsergüüd! Zorilgotoi av!" Maharaja shouted, his minions emitting a battle cry in unison as they knocked their arrows. "Galyn!" He shouted, and they all released their arrows at once.

As Alice and Jack flew in pursuit of Vanellope, Elsa gasped, waving her hand and creating a thick wall of ice to block the oncoming wave of arrows. As soon as the threat was averted, Ralph cried out, jumping down from the balcony and crashing through it, sending chunks of ice everywhere before trudging through the water. Once hitting mainland, he began to send his fists flying, fighting off the opposing forces.

Sandy, his heart still stung from Tooth's passing, fought alongside Ralph as he tossed monkey men to and fro with his sand ropes. Bunny and Emily were right behind them, Emily having regained some of her strength as she raised her hands. Vines rose from the ground, wrapping around the feet of minions and a few card guards, keeping them in place. Bunny then let his boomerangs rip, the blades in them decapitating all who Emily restrained before he caught them. He smirked at her, Emily giving him a nod.

Elsa was about to descend down the castle stairs to run across to the mainland when she felt someone stop her. She glanced back, furrowing her brows as Pitch shook his head.

"I brought this upon us all, Elsa. Stay here and allow me to face the danger instead." Pitch said.

"I'm not going to stand here while everyone else is out there fighting. I'm coming with you." Elsa replied.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Pitch said, and Elsa gently squeezed his hands.

"I'll be fine. We can't leave them to fend for themselves alone, Pitch. We've both done so much wrong, this is our chance to make up for it." Elsa said.

Pitch gave her a nod, kissing her hand before the two of them emerged from the castle.

As they fought, Emily gasped when she heard a screeching in the distance. She slowly looked to Bunny, who furrowed his brows.

"I must face my greatest foe." She said.

"Let's go then, Emily, Ralph and Sandy here can-"

"No, Bunnymund. He shall pursue you if you come. I must fight him alone now." Emily interrupted.

Bunny shook his head. "Em, I don't want to be away from you!"

"I am not giving you a choice... stay safe. I will come back for you." She quickly kissed his forehead, ignoring his cries as she fled towards the mountain.

Inside, the monkey men threw Vanellope to the ground at the Queen's feet. She raised a brow, Vanellope slowly getting to her feet. "You're going to all regret it when Ralph comes here and pummels you!" Vanellope shouted.

"No, child, he shall be the one feeling regret." The Queen remarked, waving her hand to dismiss the monkey men. She then returned her attention to Vanellope, plucking the protesting child off the ground and tossing her into the very same cage where Tooth had perished. She stared at her darkly for several moments before glancing behind her. "Despite the trouble you have caused me, you may prove to be quite useful. Eliza, you may come forth." Eliza emerged from the shadows, using her staff almost like a walking stick. Her expression was hard, emotionless as she approached the cage. She regarded Vanellope for a moment, the Queen producing a small tray with a single tart placed upon it. She handed it to Eliza, taking it and bowing her head lightly. "Good girl... you know what to do." The Queen then took her leave, and Vanellope jumped when she heard the echoing sounds of struggle within the mountain as Jack and Alice fought against Turbo, his cybugs, and the Phoenix.

Eliza watched the Queen leave for a few moments before turning to Vanellope, stepping forward. She unlocked the cage, opening it and holding out the tray. "If you want to leave this prison, you will eat this."

Vanellope made a face, looking from the tart to her. "I'm no dummy, that thing's gotta be poisoned!"

"Why would she poison this? Wouldn't it be pointless to release you only to die from poisoning?" Eliza asked. "Now eat it."

"Well, there's gotta be some kind of catch, so I'm not eating a single crumb of it!" Vanellope exclaimed, crossing her arms.

Eliza grimaced darkly, gripping her scepter and pointing it at Vanellope. She was slammed into the back of the cage, the smaller child wincing as she rubbed the back of her head. "You shall obey my command and that of the Queen's!"

Meanwhile, Jack bit his lip as he reared his staff back, freezing another cybug for Alice to break it into a million pieces with her hobby horse. Alice cried out when Turbo swiped her with his hand, sending her flying across the space. "No, Alice!" Jack cried, only to be intercepted by the Phoenix. As it screeched, he barely dodged its stream of fire, having to duck behind a rock to catch his breath.

Alice landed swiftly on her feet, grimacing as Turbo charged. She burst into butterflies, panning to the side to evade him as he skidded to a stop to prevent himself from crashing into the wall. He whipped his head back at her then, grinning wickedly as he curled into a ball, his cackle echoing off the walls as he rolled after her at incredible speeds. Alice had to take to air, but Turbo built up momentum to roll up the walls and onto the ceiling, popping out of it to grab her.

Jack gasped as two cybugs were coming right for him, ducking down so they could crash right into each other. He heard the screech of the Phoenix then, whirling around to face him. As he descended upon him, Jack realized in that moment that he would not be able to dodge the attack, shooting ice sparks at him. It did little to stop the Phoenix, and just as he was about to consume the ice guardian in flames, an angered cry filled the space as a wave of blue panned in front of him. Jack gasped as Emily kept the Phoenix at bay, her watery form extending like wings as she sent the Phoenix flying backwards. She hissed, diving forward at him as he regained himself, blasting molten lava at her to force her backwards. She collided into a wall, staggering as she tried to recuperate herself quickly.

Back near the ice castle, Elsa conjured a snow golem, the creature roaring as ice spikes emerged from its arms, legs and back. It rampaged through the minion and guard armies, Pitch sending out his Nightmares to fight against them also. Bunny had managed to nab one of the armored guard's spears, using that to fight against some minions. Sandy waved his hand, placing a surrounding group of minions to sleep so Ralph could hurl them into the water behind him, whirling around to smash through more card guards.

"They're making this too easy!" Ralph laughed, but spoke too soon when he cried out from sudden pain. When he turned, Maharaja stood behind him, narrowing his eyes as he held his sword out. Blood dripped upon the blade, having left a deep cut across his back.

"Tany daisnuud deer chini ergej khezee ch nuruugaa." Maharaja said lowly, baring his teeth.

"I have... no idea what the heck you just said, and I really could care less right now!" Ralph pointed a finger at him before curling his fists. "I may not have a fancy sword like you, but I can still kick your hairy butt!" Ralph shouted, charging forward only for Maharaja to side step him, Ralph wincing as he left another deep cut in his arm.

"Ta ur chadvar baikhgüi bol yuu ch bish gedeg ni khüch chadal! Ta yamar ch anchin, zügeer l neg tom balmadaar baina!" Maharaja shouted as Ralph screamed angrily, whirling around to sucker punch him. The monkey king went flying back, but landed swiftly on his feet, skidding back a bit and sticking his spear in the ground to slow down his momentum and keep balance. Once he did, he yanked it out of the ground, chuckling lowly.

Elsa shot another ice blast at a minion, Pitch grunting as he reared his scythe back, smashing the creature into a million pieces. He smiled and nodded to Elsa, but the moment was broken when he was blasted back by a fireball that whizzed past her. She gasped, crying out his name before whirling around to see Hans standing behind her.

"You were always the one in my way, Elsa!" Hans growled, sending another fireball at her only for her to deflect it. "But not anymore! You will pay for the hindrance you've caused me to gain a kingdom of my own!"

Nightmares came to Pitch's aid, surrounding him and fighting off enemies as he tried to regain his footing. Their withdrawal from the thick of battle made things more difficult for Sandy and Bunny, and the dream guardian gasped when he witnessed his furry friend get shot in the arm with an arrow. Elsa cried out as she sent ice blast after ice blast at Hans, her face scrunching into a scowl.

"You tried to hurt my sister and my family, you will NOT harm the man I love!" Elsa shouted.

"The man you love?" Hans laughed. "You will always be a fool, Elsa! He doesn't love you, he will NEVER love you! You think you are so different from your sister but you are both so alike! You throw yourselves into the ridiculous fantasy of love when it will never be true! I assure you, it will be your downfall!"

Ralph shoved Maharaja back, about to crush his head when the monkey king rolled to the side, evading the attack. He cried out to his minions, Ralph about to pin him down when a group of monkey men flooded to their ruler's aid, jabbing at the wrecker with their spears. He looked to the near distance, seeing Pitch about to aid Elsa against Hans. He stormed towards the Nightmare King, withdrawing his sword.

"Pitch Black!" Maharaja shouted. "Möröödöl dalain deeremchid ta garch urvagch khiisen... ta nar Namaig urvagchid ni yuu medekhgüi..." He ran a finger along his throat, chuckling darkly.

Pitch grimaced at him, turning to face him as he pointed his scythe at him. "Very well, Maharaja... may the best king win."

Elsa hissed as one of Hans' fireballs grazed her shoulder, singing the skin a bit. He was quick, dodging her attacks as she sent them forth. When she rose her hands, making spikes emerge from the ground, Hans moved quickly to avoid being impaled. Pitch's scythe and Maharaja's sword clashed, the two battling fiercely. The monkey king hopped onto one of the Nightmares to leap into the air, emitting a battle cry as he came down upon Pitch. He burst into black sand however, materializing behind him as he reared his scythe back, the pointed edge piercing his thick armor and left a small puncture wound in his back. Maharaja hissed, falling to his knees. As he looked up, he saw Hans beginning to have trouble with Elsa, the ice queen having blasted him back and was about to conjure another ice spike to pop up out of the ground to impale him. Thinking quickly, Maharaja took his spear, rearing his arm back and hitting Pitch in the chest with the handle to make him stagger backwards. As Elsa raised her arm to perform the final blow to Hans, Maharaja gritted his teeth as he thrust the weapon forward, exhaling slowly as he watched it soar through the air with anticipation.

Hans struggled to get up, furrowing his brows as he thought the end had come for him. He knew what Elsa was going to do next, and he figured that the next thing he would see is a giant icicle coming out of his chest as he lay on the ground. However, his eyes widened when, to his delight, he saw Elsa become rigid when Maharaja's spear impaled her instead, the young woman gasping sharply as the air was sucked right out of her lungs. The weapon protruded from her abdomen, the monkey king grinning in the distance behind her. Further behind him, Pitch's mouth was agape, not able to comprehend what he had just witnessed after regaining himself. When he willed his feet to move, adrenaline pumped through his veins as he shoved past Maharaja, blasting Hans back and knocking him out with a single blast of black sand. He gasped for air, falling to his knees to catch Elsa before she could hit the ground. Blood pooled around her as it dripped from her abdomen, her face already beginning to lose color.

"P- Pitch..." She whispered, the Nightmare King tuning out the sounds of battle around them. He could only hear her now. "I'm sorry..."

"Shh..." Pitch hushed her, his hands trembling as he kept her sitting up, holding her steady. "Listen to me carefully. I'm going to take you back to the palace, I will get help so you can-"

"No... you must finish this. You must defeat the Queen and protect my family... our friends." Elsa replied.

Pitch shook his head, inhaling shakily. "You will not." He spoke barely above a whisper. "You will not leave me. Not again... I cannot endure this again Elsa, I cannot!" He cried.

"I know... I broke my promise... but you have to keep fighting. The man I love is still inside you somewhere. You must search for him and... bring him to light..." Elsa groaned in pain, wheezing as she began to tremble from blood loss.

Pitch's hands squeezed her shoulders as he remained knelt before her, emitting a choked sob. He looked up at the sky, his teeth clenched as he let his head fall back. "I hate you..." He muttered, his lip curling. "You will continue to curse me until the end of my days... I shall loathe you for all time!" He shouted at the man in the moon, letting his head fall forward as he looked into Elsa's eyes. They were glazing over, her life slowly fading. "I will not let you go, Elsa... I am already a wretched creature... I no longer care if this act is a sin against you." He rested his hand against her head, his thumb pressing against his forehead as he shut his eyes tightly. Airy hissing filled the space around them as dark aura poured into her mind from his hand. Pitch exhaled shakily, biting his lip as he concentrated. Only the sound of Elsa speaking once more broke his focus, his eyes opening slowly.

"Kozmotis..." Elsa whispered, her eyes half lidded as she looked up at him. "... we will never truly be gone..." She released her last breath then, her eyes closing as she slumped limply against his chest.

Pitch's eyes widened in shock, muttering her name in a hushed panic as he pressed his hand to her forehead once more, trembling all over as he tried desperately to resurrect her as a darkling. When she remained still in his arms, he held her tightly, crying out her name as his wails echoed through the air. Upon hearing this, Ralph whirled towards the sound, his eyes widening and he staggered back when he saw that Elsa had fallen. Seeing that she had been impaled with a spear, his eyes scanned the area, his eyes resting on Maharaja as Elsa's snow golem crumbled into a stationary pile. Ralph's expression darkened, and as a monkey minion charged at him, he shot his hand out, grabbing the creature by its neck and squeezing until a loud snap was heard. He began to march forward, making his way towards Maharaja.

With Elsa's snow golem fallen, and Pitch's Nightmares withdrawn to cover him while he mourned over her, Bunny and Sandy were in over their heads as they continued their fight. As Sandy tossed another minion away with his sand rope, he gasped inaudibly when he heard Bunny cry out. He sped towards him, the Pooka slicing the card guard who had left a deep gash in his side. He fell to his knees, Sandy furrowing a brow as he knelt by him.

"Well... looks like they've made worm's meat of me, mate..." Bunny winced, grunting painfully a bit as his ears pinned back. Blood stained his grey and white fur, Sandy shaking his head as he refused to accept losing another of his fellow guardians.

Back in the mountain, Emily had just started to gain the upper hand with the Phoenix when she stopped, her breath hitching as her eyes widened. Her hand shot to her chest, craning her head back when she sensed Bunny's life fading. "No..." She breathed, soaring out of the mountain and into the air without hesitation. She soared over the armies battling, descending down before the masses. As she stepped forth, monkey minions cried out, about to attack her when she narrowed her eyes darkly, waving her hand. When she did so, the ground began to tremble, as if the entire Earth was shaking. The monkey minions cried out as the ground suddenly gave way beneath them, their screeching filling the air as they clawed at the ground in an attempt to hang on. Emily watched silently as minions and guards alike fell into the Earth, the black void swallowing them up before the ground began to reseal itself, trapping them deep into the abyss forever. Having expended much of her power from this, Emily exhaled shakily as she staggered forward, making her way towards Bunny as Sandy remained by him. She knelt by his side, placing her hand upon the wound in his side. "Do not close your eyes." Emily said to him, Sandy watching on anxiously.

In the mountain, Eliza screamed as she tried to force feed the tart to Vanellope. She had already used her scepter to send Vanellope careening into the back of the cage, about to do so again when Vanellope grabbed it, trying to wrestle it from her. Vanellope grunted as she struggled, biting her lip as she held on tightly to the scepter.

"Let go of it! Let go right NOW!" Eliza shrieked, her eyes burning with anger. Suddenly, she gasped as she and Vanellope were both blasted back, Vanellope groaning painfully as she was nearly knocked out that time. She gasped when she heard a small snapping sound, looking down to see that the impact of this blast had made a crack in the glitch proof belt around her waist. She pulled and tugged at it, hopping out of the opened cage to grab a rock to smash against the weakened spot. She finally broke it, tossing the object aside as she turned to look back at Eliza. The older child whimpered lightly as she got to her feet, pure rage in her features as she stormed towards her scepter. Vanellope gasped, glitching over to grab it, the two engaged in a tug of war once more with the object. Vanellope gritted her teeth, her code beginning to glitch and pixelate. As it did, the pixels began to travel along the length of the scepter, until it finally reached Eliza's end. When it did, the scepter's power backfired, Eliza crying out as she collapsed to the ground. Vanellope gasped, throwing the object aside as she took a step back. She watched cautiously as Eliza began to choke and gag, taking in deep breaths as she rested on her knees. Hugging herself and letting her head fall forward, she finally coughed something up; what looked like a chewed up piece of tart, breathing laboriously for a few moments as she recovered from the occurrence. As she began to breathe normally, she slowly lifted her head, looking all around her before looking at Vanellope.

"Stay away from me!" Vanellope shouted.

"What- Why? What's happened?" Eliza asked, getting to her feet. She looked down at herself then, gasping as her eyes widened. "What happened to me?"

"I dunno, but if I hit my noggin against the wall again I'm going to be knocked out with a capital K.O." Vanellope's expression softened, curious about the older child's sudden change in behavior.

Eliza thought deeply for a moment, looking at her hands. "The Queen did this to me... she made me hurt you, didn't she?" She bit her lip, shaking her head. "I must get you out of here." She ran over, surprising Vanellope as she took her hand, the two girls running towards the center of the mountain.

The Phoenix had left the mountain in pursuit of Emily, giving Jack and Alice a bit of a break. As Jack continued to fight off cybugs, Alice was continuing her struggle with Turbo when she heard a voice cry out behind her.

"Alice!" Eliza screamed, holding Vanellope's hand as the children rushed towards her, only to stop short when they saw the huge cybrid.

The young woman gasped, gritting her teeth as she reared her hobby horse back, smacking Turbo right in his face with it. She then made a quick dash towards the children, overwhelmed with emotion as she held her face. "Eliza?! Oh sweetheart, you're back..." She hugged her tightly, her eyes becoming moist. "You cannot stay here, it is far too dangerous."

"But Alice, I can fight with you!" Eliza exclaimed.

"Absolutely not. Vanellope, take her back to the ice castle and remain there, do you understand?" Alice said.

"I don't want to be separated from you again..." Eliza whimpered, biting her lip as Alice looked at her.

"This is all going to end soon, love. If I know you are safe, I will fight all the better. Now go, make haste!" Alice urged, Vanellope dragging Eliza back a bit before glitching out of the mountain.

Ralph screamed as he lifted Maharaja up, throwing him down to the ground. The monkey king thrust his sword upwards, just missing its target as Ralph jumped back. His eyes were crazed, enraged that Elsa was killed. Maharaja swiped his sword to the left, Ralph howling in pain as he cut his foot. Taking advantage of this, Maharaja jumped up, pinning Ralph down as he attempted to stab him with his sword. Ralph grunted, trying to hold the sword away as the point glistened several inches away from his chest.

"Tany tolgoi ni minii khaant ulsad kholboj bolno..." Maharaja said as he grinned triumphantly.

As Pitch laid Elsa down in the ice castle, he staggered back, despair slowly turning to a blind rage. His attire began to change with his demeanor, becoming more hostile, more sinister as his eyes burned with bloodlust for the one who had taken away his last shred of humanity. He hissed darkly, only one thing on his mind...

Kill Maharaja and Hans. Make them pay for what they had done.

Ralph struggled to defend himself, Maharaja chuckling lowly as he figured that he had this in the bag. Just when he was about to pierce the sword through Ralph's chest, he gasped when he felt something hit him hard against his back, he winced, barely managing to maintain himself as he glanced back.

"Follow your own advice..." Pitch hissed, speaking in what sounded like multiple voices. "Do not turn your back on your enemy!"

Using this opportunity, Ralph glanced over, a spear resting idly not far from him. He reached over, his hand scrambling to grasp it. In one quick motion, Ralph twisted himself, thrusting the spear upwards while Maharaja was distracted to impale him through one of the few places his armor did not protect him; his jugular. Maharaja wheezed from the impact, choking as blood began to spill.

"I may not understand you, but you understand me right now; you're not going to hurt me or my friends again!" Ralph said, grunting as he maintained his hold on the spear.

As the monkey king made a desperate attempt to pull the spear out of his throat, it would be all for naught as Pitch reared his scythe back behind him, swinging it around like a baseball bat. When he completed the swing, he held the scythe upright, blood dripping from its blade. Maharaja remained absolutely still for several moments before his head separated from his body as it rolled off his shoulders, landing with a thud on the ground. Ralph grimaced as he shoved the body off of him, swaying a bit as he stood to his feet. He gave Pitch a nod, who merely stared at him for several moments before setting his sight on Hans in the distance. Ralph looked towards where Emily was, holding Bunny as she continued to try to heal him. Just then, Vanellope glitched into the area after having brought Eliza to the ice castle, gasping lightly.

"Ralph!" She cried, running over towards him.

"Kid, you're okay!" Ralph exclaimed happily, scooping her up to hug her close. After their joyous reunion, she gasped when she saw Bunny's current state.

"Bunny!" She cried, frowning as she ran up to him. "Emily, will he be okay?"

The forest nymph glanced down upon her, giving her a nod. "That is what I intend." She looked up at Ralph, then over in the distance at her father rampaging through the remaining armies and Hans. "Child, take Ralph to the mountain to assist Alice. Return with Jack so that he may take Bunny to safety."

"You got it!" Vanellope chirped, going over to Ralph to take his hand before vanishing.

* * *

 **Alright everyone, you can take a deep breath. We've already had a few shocking events this chapter; Elsa and Maharaja have met their maker, Bunny's life is in jeopardy, and Eliza's mind has been cured from the Queen's influence. Which side will come out on top in the end? Going to leave you all hanging here, so leave your thoughts in a review and please stay tuned for more updates!**


	36. Supreme Final Battle: Part Two

**Hello readers! I'm sure you are all anticipating the conclusion of this epic battle, and I think you've been hanging for long enough! Are you ready? If so, please enjoy to your heart's content! Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts!**

* * *

Back in the mountain, Jack cried out in pain when one of the cybugs scratched his arm, wincing as blood began to stain his sweatshirt. Alice took in a deep breath, both she and Turbo not giving up on destroying the other anytime soon.

"I know you know where she is lurking!" Alice shouted, gritting her teeth. "I've had enough of playing her games, draw her out of hiding so I may end her life!"

"Jack!" A voice cried then, the ice guardian whirling around as Ralph charged forward. He raised his fists up, crushing and sucker punching cybugs left and right, averting the threat against Jack. He sighed with relief then, wiping his brow.

"Man, I thought I was a goner..." Jack said. "Glad to see you're both alright, now we can help Alice with-"

"Emily needs you to go back and help her, Bunny is hurt!" Vanellope exclaimed.

"B- Bunny? Oh no..." Jack breathed, furrowing his brows.

"I'll help Alice with Turbo, I can handle it." Ralph assured.

"You look pretty banged up, are you sure?" Jack asked.

"Yeah... look, the monkey king got his 'game over,' if we can keep this up, we still have a chance." Ralph said.

"Okay... just- just make sure you protect Alice." Jack said, giving them a nod before soaring out of the mountain.

Ralph jogged over towards Alice, grunting as he grabbed Turbo by his tail end to toss him into the wall. Turbo hissed from the impact, growling angrily.

"You really are just a stubborn moron, aren't you?" Turbo snapped, about to grab at Ralph when Alice shot a wad of tea from her teapot cannon at his face, Turbo crying out as he tried to wipe the scalding liquid away from his eyes. Just then, Alice was flung to the side, landing harshly as she glanced over. The Queen had finally revealed herself after hiding for some time, Turbo joining her once he recovered from the boiling tea.

"You desired to draw me out from the shadows and now you have; all the more suffering shall come from it for you!" The Queen exclaimed.

"You thought you had this game in the palm of your hand!" Alice shouted, gritting her teeth. "Maharaja is dead and Eliza has been restored! And when the rest of your wretched party is destroyed, I will deliver my blade directly unto your black heart!"

"I wouldn't say the game is necessarily finished..." Hans said as he descended behind them on a floating card; Pitch had become too much for him to deal with, having fled back to the mountain. Alice whirled around, grimacing at him. "And now, you're outnumbered."

As the remaining cybugs surrounded them along with him, Turbo, and the Queen, Ralph glanced around him as Alice shot the Queen a dark glare, both of them preparing for the next fight.

Meanwhile, Emily closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them. Bunny's breathing was quick and shallow, and she bent over a bit to rest her forehead against his. "Bunnymund..." She whispered his name, her hand glowing brighter as she held it against his side. "... you must stay with me. You must stay strong."

The distant screech of the Phoenix snapped Bunny into alertness, his ears flickering weakly. "E- Em... if you stay here you'll..."

"I'm not going anywhere until I know you are taken to safer ground." She gently petted his head. Just then, she looked up as Jack descended near them, jogging a bit until he reached them.

"Is he okay?" He asked, extending his arms to help hoist Bunny onto his back.

"Yes, but he is weak, he must remain in sanctuary and rest or else his life will dwindle further." Emily replied. "Take him to the castle, quickly!"

As she helped to balance the Pooka on the ice guardian's back, Bunny took Emily's hand, planting a soft kiss on her cheek. "Em... please come with us..." He begged, frowning deeply.

Emily furrowed her brows, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment as she took her wrist out of his weak grip on hers. She knew that she still had work to do. "Jack, you must leave."

Jack nodded. "O- Okay, but are you're going to be alright-"

"GO!" She hissed, Jack reeling back a bit before soaring with Bunny towards the ice castle.

She turned as Jack departed, watching silently as Sandy and Pitch exterminated the rest of the minion and the guard armies. When Pitch sliced the last, he fell to his knees, clawing at the ground as dark aura rose from his form. Emily approached him, slowly kneeling down as she observed him. As she did so, he slowly looked up at her, his face stained with dark tears.

"Have you reached yet the pit of the abyss?" She asked, narrowing her eyes lightly.

"… oh, Emily…" He breathed, his voice cracking. "… we are cursed, both of us… cursed by the darkness of the universe… and all who we touch suffer ill fates."

Sandy slowly floated forward, Emily regarding him briefly before looking back at Pitch. "Do you know why I despise you so?" She asked, Pitch furrowing his brows deeply. "… because you are not my father." She replied. "Kozmotis Pitchiner was my father. You are an imposter, a mere shadow of him. I cannot love a farce. Yet there is still an aching… deep in my heart, it is dull now. But I still wish… I wish, like a silly little girl…" A stray tear ran down her face. "… that he may someday return for me… just as he promised."

Suddenly, Emily jumped to her feet when a great blast erupted behind her, her breath hitching as the Phoenix hovered in the air with its wings outstretched.

"The era of the Sacred Green Lands has ended…" The Phoenix's voice radiated as the bass in his voice seemed to make the ground tremble. "… and in its wake, my rivers of fire and ash shall flow swiftly. The Kingdom of Magma shall arise once more… and the nymphs of the woodlands shall be purged."

As Pitch rose to his feet and stood at Emily's left and Sandy to her right, she levitated off the ground, her arms once again extending into wings as she floated to the Phoenix's height. Geysers of fire and magma burst from the ground, smaller fire phoenixes of varying colors emitting a chorus of screeching. The three braced themselves, Pitch rising up as the phoenixes dove down, swinging his scythe through the air and sending out wisps of black sand in quick succession. Sandy waved his hand, floating on a small island of sand as he kept close to Emily. He whipped out his sand ropes to keep them at bay, Emily emitting an ear piercing shriek as she and the Phoenix soared through the air, ascending and diving as fire and water flew. Dark aura began to increase in her form, contrasting with the aqua blue hue of her form as her eyes darkened. She waved her hand, clouds beginning to gather as they blocked out the sun. Rain began to pour, lightening illuminating the thick clouds as she emitted an echoing cry. From her form, large crows began to swarm, emitting a chaotic song of cawing as they swirled around the Phoenix like a hurricane.

Sandy's eyes widened, waving his hand to make a whirlwind of sand around himself to deflect several attacks of fire bearing down upon him from the smaller phoenixes. Pitch hissed, having already taken several burns but continued to fight savagely like an animal. He hissed, whirling around to send his scythe right into a phoenix behind him, the creature wailing loudly before bursting into a bright glow of flames. As it then became a pile of ashes upon the ground, another inhaled deeply from behind the nightmare king, sending a jet stream of fire right into his back. Pitch cried out, falling from the sky and hitting the ground harshly. Rising shakily to his feet, he swayed a bit as he narrowed his eyes. Several phoenixes surrounded him, and even as worn as he was, he was prepared to die. His daughter was the only thing left for him in this entire universe, he deduced… he would willingly give up his life now to spare hers. As he flew at one of the phoenixes, another swooped in from his side to blast fire at him, sending him flying back and hitting the ground hard once again. He groaned, trying to get up and use his scythe to support him. The phoenixes, however, were not going to allow this opportunity, inhaling deeply to unleash what they presumed to be the final strike against Pitch. As he mentally prepared himself for his end, Pitch closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. Behind his closed lids, he saw a fragment of a light, concentrating upon it. When it grew, he remembered something that had been spoken to him by the woman he had loved dearly.

'Only you can help bring her back to the light... and then yourself.'

When a new sound suddenly filled Pitch's ears, his eyes snapped open, gasping upon the sight before him. Someone was standing with their back facing him, countering the phoenix that was about to end his life. He felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins, the air around him decreasing in temperature as fire clashed with black ice; sharp, deadly. Black silk danced as she waved her hands, dispersing the airborne creatures around him in her vengeful fury. His eyes widened in disbelief, thinking that perhaps he had already died without realizing it. Dark aura radiated from her form, hissing as she gracefully took to air. Pitch watched with a mixture of awe, confusion, and amazement, as one by one, the phoenixes meaning to attack her or Pitch were utterly destroyed by this angel of darkness. Once she had done this, she whirled around, her eyes set on the golden glow of Sandy in the distance. Meaning to pursue him, she was about to do so when Pitch realized what she was attempting and hurried to her, taking her hands and spinning her around to look at him. They remained suspended in the air for a moment, Pitch staring at her as his hand gently touched her face. Her ivory skin had become ashy grey like his, her hair had become a darker shade as well. Her eyes burned with the same amber hue as his, and as his hands moved to hold his darkling queen in his arms, he whispered her name softly.

"Elsa."

He could feel her breathing quicken, glancing back towards Sandy. "I must put out the lights…" She whispered, exhaling shakily. "… all of them."

"No, Elsa. I know of the whispers that drive you to have such desires, such urges, but you must not listen to them. Look at me, Elsa. It is not the way for you; it is the way of the darkest of shadows." Pitch said to her.

"We can do it together…" Elsa replied, speaking barely above a whisper as she looked up at him sinisterly. "We can spread the veil of darkness upon the world… all those beneath it shall writhe in our beauty and despair-"

"Elsa, stop!" Pitch cried, his hands squeezing her shoulders as his heart broke. What had she become? He had made her into this in his desperate attempt to keep her alive. He had corrupted the gentle, kind hearted queen who had so foolishly devoted herself to him, and now… just like he, was a monster bent on exterminating every light, every dream, every shred of hope in the world. "Listen to me… you must fight this darkness. You must not follow it. Do not let it consume your heart, please…" His voice cracked. "Do not become… what I have become…"

Slowly, Elsa's expression softened, furrowing her brows lightly as the wind blew through her hair. She inhaled sharply, slowly looking down at herself before looking up at him. "Pitch… I… what did I-"

"That's it, Elsa… do not let the whispering sway your mind. Just keep looking at me." Pitch spoke softly.

Elsa struggled to clear her mind, her hands rising to hold his face. When she closed the space between them, Pitch held her tightly as they shared a short, but passionate kiss.

Emily cried out as she cascaded into the ground, groaning painfully from the impact. Sandy flew to remain by her side, narrowing his eyes as he stared up at the Phoenix. It cried out proudly, stretching out its wings in a threatening and dominating gesture.

"Your time in this world has ended, nymph… allow yourself to fall into the pits of fire and burn… your sacrifice shall be the foundation for the empire of molten rock and ash!" The Phoenix bellowed.

As Sandy prepared to do whatever he could to defend her, his eyes widened as Emily suddenly rose, levitating off the ground as she scowled darkly. He looked all around him, gasping inaudibly as everything around them- rocks, debris, chunks of soil, and remains from the fallen armies- began to levitate with her. Her eyes stared intensely into the Phoenix's, powerful winds beginning to whip around them and towards the Phoenix as she held her hands up.

"The Earth shall not suffer from your death and ruthlessness… where you exterminate life, I shall restore it, where you instill terror in the hearts of living creatures, I shall gather them underwing and grant them sanctuary!" Emily proclaimed. "You shall not again see the light of day, you shall not again breathe the air above the Earth's surface, and forever shall you remain in the deepest core from whence you came!"

Sandy winced, Pitch held Elsa close to him to shield her as Emily cried out her loudest, thrusting her hands forward as the powerful winds and control over gravity blasted the Phoenix back, its wailing fading as it echoed through the sky. They all watched as it cascaded into the mountain in the distance, Emily exhaling as anything that had been levitating fell to the ground with a thud. Her eyes rolled up, falling gracefully as Sandy dove to catch her. As she breathed laboriously, Elsa watched as Pitch hurried to her side, scooping Emily into his arms and brushing some hair out of her face.

"Emily… Emily darling, look at me." Pitch spoke softly, biting his lip for a moment as a lump formed in his throat. "Sweetheart, it's alright now, you must stay awake now…"

As she wheezed, she opened her eyes halfway, her eyelids fluttering a bit as she was barely able to look up at him from expending so much power. "You…"

"Yes… yes, it's me, love… daddy is here now." He choked a sob, propping her up so he could hold her to his chest. "Emily, daddy loves you… I love you…"

As Elsa stepped forward, both she and Sandy watched in shock as something began to happen. His ash grey skin began to glow like the sheen of marble, his dark robes illuminating with magnificent red and gold. As the dark aura began to expel itself from him, the sound of a thousand dream pirates screeching filled the air, forming into the shape of a large nightmare. The equine snorted, slowly looking to Elsa as the creature bowed to not its nightmare king… but nightmare queen.

Shocked by his own transformation, Pitch, now once again Kozmotis, barely noticed Emily stirring in his arms, the nymph gently touching his face as she cried softly. A smile graced her features, Pitch gasping lightly as he held her hand.

"I have long awaited for this moment…" Emily spoke, her hand gently touching the chain of her locket around his neck. "Finally… you have fulfilled your promise, father."

Both Sandy and Elsa smiled silently as father and daughter hugged, united after having been kept apart for thousands of years.

Jack had returned to the inside of the mountain, rearing his staff back as Hans relentlessly attacked Alice. Hans hissed as his arm was covered in frost, melting it with heat radiating from his skin as he whirled around to soar towards him. Alice was about to pursue him, but the Queen hissed, shooting out a tentacle to wrap it around Alice's waist and send her flying into a wall. Ralph grunted, Turbo having come down upon him with his front legs as the wrecker caught them in his hands, being pushed back little by little as he tried to anchor his weight. He used all of his strength to counter the pressure being exerted against him, yanking one arm down and shoving the other up as he managed to flip the huge cybrid onto his back. He jumped into the air, about to bring his fists down upon Turbo's head when he barrel rolled to the side, Ralph smashing into the ground instead. He went up on his hind legs, trying to bear down upon Ralph again, but he dove out of harm's way. Turbo rolled into a ball, chasing the wrecker with incredible speed. Ralph cried out, darting to the side. As Turbo made the sharp turn, Ralph grunted as he grabbed a large rock, hurling it behind him and hitting his target. This made Turbo spin out of control, crashing into a wall.

The Queen grinned as she strangled Alice, her tentacle tightening around her throat.

"I'll pluck your head right off that slender neck of yours, Alice!" The Queen growled, but gasped when suddenly, she heard Turbo howl when rocky debris fell on him, breaking one of his wings. The Queen's distraction allowed Alice to withdraw her vorpal blade, the Queen crying out painfully when she sliced the tentacle strangling her and falling to the ground. She gasped for air, the Queen about to attack her when she saw Ralph running up to Turbo, grabbing his thin neck and slamming his forehead into the wall. The Queen felt her heart skip a beat, shrieking as she sped towards him. She dove in between Ralph and Turbo, hissing and baring her teeth as she snapped at him. Ralph reared back as she spat fire at him, howling in pain as some managed to singe one of his feet. As Turbo recovered thanks to the Queen's interference, he smirked lightly at her as she glanced back at him, smiling darkly and nodding to him.

"Not bad, Queenie." He chuckled lowly.

"Causing others pain is my specialty, as you already know." The Queen replied.

Jack sent another ice spark soaring through the air, Hans dodging it as he sent another fireball hurling towards Jack. He waved his staff, deflecting it as it collided with the mountain wall, causing more of it to crumble. Jack gasped, trying to dodge the falling debris, but one piece hit him hard, the ice guardian cascading down until he hit the ground harshly. Hans' feet touched the ground as Jack struggled to stand, the arrogant prince kicking him back down with his foot.

"I could just burn you alive… but you're not good enough for that. You are nothing more than a lowly wretch, so your death will be just as savage." Hans chuckled as he scooped up a sizeable rock, raising his arm to bash Jack's skull in.

As he was about to perform the fatal act, Alice screamed on the top of her lungs as she jumped on Hans' back, tackling him to the ground. He grunted, his teeth clenching as he struggled. Just then, a great light filled the space, almost everyone gasping as the Phoenix was blasted into the mountain, the resulting explosion creating a huge hole in the ground and the wind picked up substantially for several sustained moments from the impact. The mountain then began to crumble further. Alice wheezed as Hans elbowed her off of him, about to pursue Jack again when Alice's nails dug into his ankle, Hans hissing as he fell forward. Ralph shook his head, having fallen from the Phoenix meeting his demise. As the Queen approached him quickly like a predator stalked its prey, she was about to take advantage of his fall when for the first time, Turbo widened his eyes as his heart raced, noticing something she had not.

A huge chunk of the mountain, right above her head, creaked as it was about to fall.

"Queenie, look out!" Turbo exclaimed, speeding forward as the Queen looked up, her eyes widening with alarm. Ralph scrambled back out of harm's way, Turbo shoving the Queen to the side as the huge chunk of rock fell.

She waved her hand, coughing as she tried to get the dust away from her face. "Well my dear, that was certainly quick thinking on your part-" She stopped when the dust cleared, dread coming over her when she saw Turbo wincing with pain. She shook her head, the rock having fallen directly onto his back. She staggered towards him, lowering herself to bite her lip, her large hands trying with no avail to push the huge boulder off of him. As the cybrid coughed and squirmed painfully underneath the massive object, he emitted a strained chuckle.

"Look at me… I must be rusty, huh? In my glory days I would have outran this stupid thing any day." He said, groaning lightly. "Guess you were right… I am a big idiot."

The Queen's spine stiffened. "No… you made a worthy sacrifice, one you shall be rewarded greatly for as soon as I assist you in recovering from-"

"No… Queenie, this is it." Turbo said, and the Queen's chest tightened when he saw his eyes already glazing over. "It's 'game over' for me." He smiled weakly. "But hey… we had a good run, didn't we?"

The Queen began to gasp for air as she clutched her chest, her eyes becoming moist as she shook her head. "What is this… pressure in my lungs…? Am I ailed? Am I… no… it cannot be… I am not… I was not meant to… I was not created for…" She could not say the word, her throat tightening when she felt Turbo grasp her hand to give it a shake.

"Hey… finish them off. And make sure you give that glitch a real hard time." He smirked lightly.

The Queen could only nod shakily, her whole form trembling as Turbo's body became limp. His eyelids fell at half mast, staring up at her as the life emptied from them. As soon as this happened, any remaining cybugs ceased their movements, all falling still as the light from their eyes went out. As she shakily got to her feet, her eyes crazed as she felt shockwaves of pain surge through her body; it was unlike any kind of pain she ever felt before, and when the surmountable pressure boiled over, she let her head fall back, emitting a chaotic scream.

In the shadows, Beth whimpered when she heard her mother's distressed cry. She quietly and carefully peeked out from the darkness of her hiding place, watching the scene taking place.

Hans had managed to pin Alice under him, grinning sinisterly as he licked his lips. "Come now, surely a part of you must be enjoying this?" His arrogance turned to pain when Jack crawled forward, snatching Alice's blade and stabbing Hans in the back of his leg. As he cried out, Alice growled and shoved him off of her. She jumped to her feet, running over to Jack and placing an arm around him to help him up. He swayed for a moment before regaining his balance, grabbing his staff to try to prepare for another attack. Hans spotted Alice's vorpal blade, his eyes widening as he made a quick grab for it. It took him a bit of effort to get up, but he managed, staring at them darkly. Not far from them, the Queen took a step forward, pointing at them.

"Now is your chance, end them!" She hissed.

Ralph then came up from behind Hans, holding a large rock. "Hurt one of them, and I'll crush you!"

The Queen shrieked, one of her tentacles shooting out to drag Ralph down, the rock rolling off to the side. Alice went to crush the tentacle with her hobby horse when Hans grabbed Jack, holding his back against his chest and pressing the blade of the knife against his throat. He smirked darkly, chuckling. Alice whirled around, her eyes widening with horror.

"So, Alice… are you prepared to watch me take off his head?" Hans smirked.

"I'll gouge out your eyes if you so much as lay a scratch on him!" Alice cried.

"Well, isn't someone a copycat?" Hans laughed.

The Queen smirked, knowing that soon, all the loss she had suffered through would all be worth it. This was the moment she was waiting for; she would watch Alice writhe in agony over the loss of her love, before then proceeding to end her life as well. Her eyes burned with anticipation as it built up inside her.

As she would experience in the next moment, the anticipation would not come to fruition.

Hans took this time of everyone's vulnerability to scan the area; he was aware that Maharaja was dead, they all saw the Phoenix meet his end, and Turbo as well. The Queen's forces were done for, and the opposition was still somewhat sustained. Even if he killed Alice and Jack here, and even Ralph, he knew there would be more on their side ready to avenge such deaths. In that moment, Hans remembered all the times the Queen simply treated him like a lackey; making him second best to that moronic monstrosity that now lay dead mere feet from her. In one quick motion, rather than do as he was commanded, he reared his arm back, and Alice gasped as her own blade whizzed by her head; a few inches more to the left and it would have got her right between her eyes. It all happened so quickly, the Queen's only reaction was a sharp intake of breath followed by searing pain in her chest. She gasped, her breath shaky as she slowly looked down to see the blade's handle sticking out of her chest, blood pooling underneath the fabric of her dress. Her tentacle around Ralph loosened, slowly retracting back into her dress as she fell to her knees.

In the shadows, Beth covered her mouth as her eyes widened, muffling a horrified gasp.

Jack elbowed Hans then, Ralph grabbing the prince from behind and tossing him aside. Hans groaned, holding his side as his face scrunched a bit. Alice slowly turned around, the Queen staring at her as she maintained her balance on her knees. The young woman approached her, her expression hard.

"Go ahead, Alice. Serve me a bowl of irony on a silver platter, and cut off my head." The Queen hissed lowly.

Alice narrowed her eyes a bit, looking her over. She glanced over at Turbo for a moment, shaking her head. "No. That would be far too easy." Alice replied.

"You were always a worthy adversary… in the end, your perseverance and resourcefulness won the day." The Queen replied.

"No… no. Not only that… but I allied myself with people who are a bit more trustworthy than the company you kept. You surrounded yourself with those like yourself; conniving, cunning, heartless and ambitious. Justice serves all… to each individual differently, depending upon their actions and character. It has finally come to you." Alice said.

"Perhaps it has…" The Queen strained as blood began to drip from her lips. "But I assure you… our connection remains, Alice. Our opposition does not end with us. It shall travel along our bloodlines, and so as long as we remain accursed to the other, so shall any who we bear. The suffering fated for us shall endure and be passed on… until a day comes we are no longer foes."

Alice tilted her head then. "Well… good thing I will be around for quite a while, then. Unfortunately for you…" She said, reaching forward to grab the handle of her vorpal blade. "… you won't be able to say the same." Alice yanked the weapon out of the Queen's chest, the creature emitting a choked cry as she fell to the side, breathing shallowly as she stared up at Alice. The young woman spared her one last glare before sheathing the weapon, turning to Jack and Ralph. "It is done. Let's take our leave."

As Alice was about to leave, she heard a small sound, turning back to look towards the shadowy cavern beyond their fighting ground. She narrowed her eyes lightly, barely able to see a pair of reflective eyes in the darkness and the outline of a small creature lurking within them. She focused for a moment, sensing fear emanating from the creature.

"Alice?" Jack asked, Ralph helping to support him. "Everything okay?"

She slowly nodded, removing her hand from her blade's handle, keeping it sheathed. "Yes." She turned, deciding to spare the creature as they made their way out of the mountain.

As they left, Hans groaned as he managed to once again get to his feet. He limped over to where the Queen lay, and she scowled at him weakly as he tore off a part of the hem of her dress. He wrapped it around his injured leg, securing it properly before glancing over at her. As he did this, Beth continued to watch the man who stabbed her mother go about in a nonchalant manner, her face contorting with anger. Her hand extended out from the shadows into the light to clutch the edge of the stone wall, her long nails leaving silent scratch marks upon it.

"You thought that I was nothing more than a mere servant to you… a servant to a lost cause. Well… look at you, and look at me. Everything you worked for has fallen, and I got away with murder… no pun intended, of course." He smirked, leaning forward. "That's the problem with you women. You're so weak to us. You so easily give yourselves to us… and without us, your demise follows." He sighed lightly, standing up. "So, with the power you've given me, I will bide my time… then I will accomplish what you were not able to. I will claim Arendelle as my own, murder the queen and her family, and make it the newest asset to the Southern Isles. I shall be praised... and perhaps then my twelve brothers, who think so little of me, will show some respect."

"You will… pay… for your betrayal…" The Queen's voice cracked, her body beginning to tremble from the physical shock.

"I would like to see how you plan on doing that." Hans laughed, kicking at her as he jeered. "You are helpless! You thought you possessed so much power over me, but the tables have turned and there is nothing that anyone can do about that now!"

Hans reared his foot back, about to kick her again when he was shoved down to the ground. He cried out in surprise, his eyes widening when he was flipped onto his back. He was met with the sight of a scrawny creature holding him down; her crazed, emerald green eyes with shrunken pupils burning into his as she bore pointed teeth. She emitted a wrathful screech, her hands slapping Hans' as he tried to get her off of him. Her dark hair fell in a bob somewhat like the Queen's, but formed a point on the top of the back of her head. The bottom half of her body was like a spider, her legs dancing about to shift her weight and keep Hans down. She grunted as he struggled against her, her hands shooting out to wrap around his throat and attempt to strangle him. His arms flailed upwards, attempting to claw at her thin face. She screamed, her right hand grabbing a rock placed near them and raising it high in the air before proceeding to strike Hans' head with it repeatedly, savagely crying out. When Hans's hands fell limp at his sides, his movements ceasing as blood flowed from his head, Beth breathed deeply as she glared at him, tossing the rock aside. She slowly stood, backing away from him before skittering over to the Queen. She knelt down, her brows furrowed as she shook her lightly.

"Mama…" She spoke barely above a whisper. "… I got him, mama. He won't hurt you anymore."

The Queen chuckled weakly. "You did… well, child…" She strained. "… my life is fading… it is coming to an end."

"No…" The child whimpered, shaking her head as tears welled up in her eyes. "… no mama, you can't…"

"Remember one thing. Endure… and stake claim over anything that fulfills your desires and ambitions. Never stop fighting for it. Feed upon the power of others and make it your own… that is how you survive in this world." The Queen groaned lightly, inhaling sharply before releasing her final breath moments later. As she lay motionless, Beth whimpered, shaking her lightly.

"No mama, come back… come back, mama…" Her face scrunched as she began to sob, her hands gripping the Queen's large one. "Mama…" She cried over and over, but her cry would not be answered as she wailed. Her agony and despair echoed through the ruins of the mountain, collapsing as she rested her head against the Queen's chest mournfully and curled up against her side.

There was nothing left for the child there, only the harsh lesson of brutality and death that she would take with her.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Our heroes have triumphed, and their persistence and strength have saved the day. But why, then, may some of you be left with a level of somberness? Because readers, these characters are not so black and white. There is a grey area, and not all of them are exactly good or bad. Sometimes a character is not good or bad for fighting for what they believe in, and it is in these grey areas where we question not just how these characters see, but how we ourselves see. Fret not, there is still some story left! Thank you all so much for reading to this point, and please stay tuned for the next update!**


	37. Beginning New Journies

**Good afternoon, readers! You have finally made it to the last chapter of this story. It was a long journey, but the end is finally here. Can you believe it? Please enjoy one last time as you read the conclusion! Please also check out my message at the end for some important updates.**

* * *

One month to the day since the fall of the Queen, Sandy hovered over Tooth as she rested silently within her palace. He glanced back to see Hiccup, Gustav and Eliza appear out of a snow globe portal with several satchels full of teeth.

"Here you go…" Hiccup said as he wiped a brow. "Any changes?"

Sandy sighed inaudibly, shrugging lightly. He held her hand, gently gracing his thumb over her skin. Some of the color had returned to her feathers, the children beginning to once again have faith and believe in her. However, she had not yet awoken, and the guardians and company had taken up collecting teeth while she and her fairies remained in this state.

Merida arrived then with Rapunzel, Eugene and North's elves, briefly kissing Hiccup before they all got to work organizing the teeth. Hiccup kept an organized log, and Merida directed the elves to place the teeth in their proper cases.

"He's still so upset…" Rapunzel frowned, gently petting Pascal sitting on her shoulder with her finger. "He and Baby Tooth really liked each other."

"Yeah… poor little guy. I hope they can wake up soon… I can tell you that they're a lot better at this than we are…" Eugene replied.

Merida nudged an elf that was goofing around, shaking her finger at him. "Stop your dilly dallying, little laddie!"

As she was doing this, they heard a light gasp, looking back to see Eliza dragging Gustav over towards where Sandy was. The dream guardian's eyes were wide, his breathing quickening as he witnessed the color in Tooth's feathers returning fully, along with their healthy sheen. He gently touched her face as a healthy glow returned to it as well, and a moment later, bright pink eyes met his as they slowly cracked open. He stood absolutely still, the others stopping what they were doing to come to her with the same shocked, but overjoyed, expression.

"Tooth?" Eliza broke the silence first. "… Can you hear me…?"

"Eliza…?" Tooth blinked a bit, Sandy waving his hands lightly as she tried to sit up.

"M- Merida, go get North and the others…" Hiccup said, Merida giving him a nod as she used her crystal to get back to the workshop.

In the meantime, Sandy scrambled as he tried to explain to Tooth everything that happened, his emotions boiling over as he gently took her face in her hands to plant dozens of kisses. Tooth burst into giggles as she became more aware, holding Sandy back a bit. "Alright, alright… Sandy… I'm right here. Everything is going to be okay now."

"We thought you were a goner." Hiccup frowned lightly. "We've been trying to bring you back for weeks by collecting teeth and storing them for you."

Tooth blinked, looking past him to see the elves still working. Satchels of teeth rested along the walls of her palace, and she smiled softly as her fairies began to wake. "You… you collected all of these teeth yourselves?"

Moments later, another snow globe portal opened up; North, Jack, Alice, Bunny and Wick all emerged from it, the Christmas guardian laughing heartily upon seeing Tooth alive. He scooped her up, hugging her tightly as tears brimmed in his eyes. They all rejoiced as they joined in the group hug, Alice chuckling as she even joined.

"My dear Tooth… how happy I am to have you back with us. It simply was not the same without you… and I'm sure Sandy is happiest of all." North smiled.

"I'm happy to BE back." Tooth smiled, stretching out her wings a bit.

Pascal picked his head up when he saw something out of the corner of his eye, beaming as Baby Tooth flew up to him. The small fairy smiled widely and waved, leaving a kiss on his head before flying over to Jack excitedly.

"I missed you too, Baby Tooth." Jack smiled softly, gently holding the fairy in his hand.

"I can't believe you guys did all this work…" Tooth teared up a bit. "I… It's more than I could ask for."

"It's because we love you so much!" Wick beamed, holding his arms out to hug Tooth. Despite it being a bit uncomfortable, she chuckled as she appreciated the gesture.

They all welcomed Tooth and the fairies, the long awaited moment finally arriving. Jack glanced over at Bunny, nodding to him. "Wasn't Emily with you earlier?"

Bunny sighed a bit then. "She's helping out Pitch- er, Kozzie with something."

"Elsa…" Jack breathed before blinking, snickering. "W- Wait. Did you call him Kozzie?"

"It's just a nickname going around, yeah." He laughed, nudging Jack. "Shut your pie hole, you gumbie!"

As the group celebrated Tooth's return, the individuals mentioned were not able to do so. Anna and Kristoff opted out of helping with the teeth earlier that day, the princess sitting with her sister and Kozmotis within the castle of Arendelle. Emily paced around the room as he gently held the darkling queen's shoulders. Elsa gripped the sides of the chair, breathing heavily as she endured internal struggle. The atmosphere in Arendelle was not very joyous, Anna sighing lightly.

"She didn't mean it… really she didn't…" Anna said quietly, nursing a bandaged arm. "Kozmotis…" She spoke, everyone having gotten used to calling him by this name. "… it's getting worse. Elsa doesn't even remember her outbursts half the time anymore… she's losing who she is, and… I'm scared. She's scared."

"We must keep enduring." Kozmotis replied, tucking a strand of hair behind Elsa's ear as he kissed her cheek. "I will help her fight through this."

"That will no longer be enough to subdue the control the darkness has over her, father." Emily said, glancing at them. "And with the power she possesses, she is bound to cause great harm to her loved ones and her kingdom. Eventually, as it had happened to my father, she will fall deeper into the abyss and forget any source of love and light she ever had. She will be completely consumed by it."

Anna shook her head, her bottom lip trembling as Kristoff rubbed her back comfortingly. "There has to be something we can do…" She whimpered, beginning to sob. "There must be a way we can help her…"

Emily pursed her lips, exhaling slowly. "This may be a last resort… for he is very ancient, and not as strong as he once was thousands of years ago. He is even older than father and I. He once mentored North… he is his greatest and eldest ally. If we are granted passage into his domain, there may be chance he can help us. If not, the only way Elsa can be cured of the darkness is if, as my father had, she passes it on to another."

Anna stood then, her eyes widening a bit. "Who is it, Emily? I'll do anything, and… if they can't help us, then… then I'll take it myself."

"Anna, no! I'm not going to let you just stand there and be turned evil!" Kristoff frowned.

"And I'm not going to stand here and watch my sister suffer!" Anna exclaimed, turning back to Emily. "Please, take us to this person."

Emily glanced at her father, who stood and gave her a nod. "Very well. I must first speak to North, and then we may be led to him." She responded.

* * *

The following day, North agreed to help aid Emily and Kozmotis bring Elsa to Santoff Claussen. He entered the same way they had last time, Anna and Kristoff having joined them as well. The two of them looked around at this mysterious and majestic land in awe and fascination, not having been seen by many a human. They finally approached the inside of the great tree, the Spirit of the Forest smiling as she greeted North.

"I suspect that the gift I provided you served you well?" She asked.

"Yes, very much so." North replied, thanking her. "However, I am here to ask for Ombric's help. A dear friend of ours is greatly afflicted."

The Spirit frowned lightly. "He is very weak, as you know, North." She responded. "But he is always willing to help those in need, especially you. You may go to him."

North nodded, taking the small group as they ascended the stairs, leading to the top where Ombric sat. Katherine sat and tended to him, smiling upon seeing North. When she saw Kozmotis, her smile faded, her eyes widening as she jumped to her feet.

"There is no need to fear, Katherine. This man is no longer Pitch Black... this is the man Pitch Black overtook. Kozmotis will cause you no harm." North said.

After a few moments, the young woman calmed, trusting North as she sat down. "How were you able to overcome the darkness? It had afflicted you for so long, drove you to do such evil things."

"It was unfortunately passed... to the woman I love, in an attempt to save her." Kozmotis replied, bringing Elsa forward. "That is why we're here."

Ombric sat up, coughing deeply. "Do my eyes deceive me? The great General Kozmotis Pitchiner has returned... after all this time?" He chuckled weakly. "I can sense the light emanating from you. However... I have heard your plight and wish to help. The trouble is, that to expel such great darkness takes much power. And in its wake, life would need to replace it."

"Please... tell me it is possible." Kozmotis breathed.

"Hm..." Ombric sat in thought, a hint of sadness in his eyes as he smiled. He looked over to Katherine, taking her hand and patting it lightly. "My dear... I have lived almost as long as time itself. Mine has been fading slowly for so long, but... the end has come."

Katherine's eyes widened, shaking her head as tears began to fill them. "No, you can't!" She cried, looking back as the Spirit placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen to me closely, Katherine. Upon my end, I leave Santoff Claussen to you and the Spirit of the Forest. If you should ever need aid, call upon the guardians. They are our closest friends." Ombric said.

"I will." Katherine said, hugging Ombric. She wiped her eyes, taking a step back as the wizard turned to face the group.

"Bring the girl closer, Kozmotis." Ombric said. He did so, Elsa breathing a bit laboriously as Ombric held her hand. "The darkness has not festered for too long within her... and she still has much love within her heart... and around her. Tell me your name, child."

"I- I am... Elsa... queen of Arendelle..." She replied. "Please... I don't want to put my family in danger."

"Ah... yes, much of her still remains." Ombric nodded. "I must make arrangements." He spoke, coughing into his other hand. "As you all know, time made me its keeper many ages ago. To extract this darkness from Elsa and contain it, I shall expend the last of my power... my life shall fade from this world and extend into the beyond. Before I become one with the stars, I must choose another to keep time. Time must always have a keeper." He smiled then, looking at Kozmotis. "You and Elsa both, I sense have suffered through much tragedy, and you have both overcome great adversity, and the light has returned to you. You both have much to make up for the suffering you have endured, but you more so, Kozmotis. As the new keeper... you would certainly have good opportunity."

Everyone gasped except for Anna and Kristoff, not really understanding Ombric's meaning. "You would choose my father to keep time?"

"Yes, Emily. A man as great as he, who once defended light and love, deserves an equally great life from all he has overcome. You were made to perform many evil deeds, Kozmotis... it will take that long for those wounds upon yourself, and those the darkness within you affected, to heal. And from this moment forth, never shall you be afflicted by it again." Ombric said. "If you accept... then eternal life shall be granted upon you, and Elsa as well."

Kozmotis glanced around, biting his lip a bit. He stopped when he felt someone take his hand, looking over to see Emily smile and give him a nod. He returned the smile, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Your mother would have encouraged me just the same." He said softly before turning back to Ombric. "If it will benefit the ones I love… then I shall do it."

Ombric nodded, smiling weakly as he extended his hand to Elsa's forehead. "Once I extract the darkness, and contain it… you must place it somewhere no one shall ever find it."

"Hm…" Kozmotis pondered. "The lair… my old lair, deep into the ground… I can place it there." He said.

"Very well." Ombric said, and North smiled sadly as he nodded his head to him. "North, my old friend… I shall look upon you and the guardians from the stars."

"And I will always look up to you as I do the Man in the Moon for guidance." North replied, wiping a tear from his eye.

Ombric closed his eyes then, a dull glow illuminating around his hand and extending to Elsa as he drew out the darkness from within her. In its place, as her skin became ivory once more and her hair regained its light color, her dress did not return to its signature blue color. Instead, it swirled with patterned fabric and furs, flowing down to the ground with long, loose sleeves. Everyone gasped in awe, her headdress crowned with crystals, diamonds and sparkling clear jewels like the twinkle of snowflakes reflecting light. Kozmotis looked down at himself as his red and gold robes began to change color as well, silvery and shimmery silk accented with blue patterned, intricate stitching replacing it. The hem extended, the collar extending as well into a long hood. His scythe, which had become gold after he was no longer the nightmare king, changed into a silvery wood material, the blade reflective and clear. As all of this happened, Ombric's physical form disappeared, becoming a glowing orb and ascending upwards into the sky. They all watched, North placing a comforting arm around Katherine as she wiped tears from her face. He soon became one with the stars in the sky, the light dividing to make a constellation beside that of the parents of the Man in the Moon. After a few moments of silence, Anna snapped out of her stupor, crying tears of happiness as she hugged her sister tightly.

"Elsa… I'm so glad you're alright…" She wiped her eyes, smiling as she took a step back. "You look so beautiful… not that you weren't beautiful before, I- I always thought you were… it's just now, you're-"

Elsa laughed, smiling brightly. "I understand…" She leaned forward, kissing Anna's forehead. "Finally… we can be a family, happy and safe…" She took Kozmotis and Emily's hands, looking to each of them. "… all of us."

Kozmotis cleared his throat then, taking a step back before taking Elsa's hands in his. "This… may or may not be an appropriate time, I'm not quite sure… and I don't quite care at this point." Elsa blinked at him, tilting her head. "Elsa… I reflect on our journey together, and all of the trials we have faced. Through all I forced you and your loved ones to endure in my time as Pitch Black… among many others of course… you remained faithfully by my side. Despite my attempts to sway you from me, you remained. Despite the pain I inflicted upon you, the danger I placed you in… you still found love for me in your heart… and your love was the light that drew me out of the darkness once and for all. We have been given this… incredible gift of life and longevity, and… I am filled with joy because… I want to spend every moment… from this one, and every one after that time offers… with you." Elsa's breath caught in her throat as Kozmotis lowered to his knees, still holding her hands. "It would be the greatest honor… if you would accept my hand… my heart… my soul… every part of me, and allow me to accept every part of you, in matrimony."

Anna beamed, squealing happily as she clung to Kristoff's arm. "Elsa!"

Elsa cleared her throat. "A- Alright Anna, let me-"

"He asked you to marry him!" She exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

"I- Yes, I know, let me just-"

"Say yes!" Anna squeaked as she could not contain her excitement.

Elsa breathed out a laugh, trying to keep her composure. "I will give my answer, just let me speak for a moment…" She took in a deep breath, trying to tune out her sister bursting into overjoyed giggles as she tried not to giggle herself. "Kozmotis… I happily accept your offer, and I would love nothing more than to become your wife-" Her sentence was cut off when he stood to his feet, gently pulling her into a loving kiss. Everyone surrounding them joined in the happy moment by clapping, congratulating the newly engaged couple when they broke their kiss. After some time, Kozmotis turned to Emily, his smile fading a bit when Emily smiled sadly at him. He drew her into a hug, exhaling slowly.

"My dear… I hope you are not unhappy." Kozmotis whispered.

"I am, father… I shall always miss mother. But… I am frightened that this is all some cruel dream…" Emily replied.

"No, my dear… as Sanderson will tell you, there are no cruel dreams." Kozmotis replied, kissing her forehead.

In that moment, they all realized that for all the agony and despair that had been laid upon their paths, that the jagged edges that stung underfoot had passed, smoothing out for a more fulfilling and wholesome journey ahead. Hopes and dreams that would have been dismissed as impossible had become a reality that day, and it was a destiny they had all come to embrace gladly.

* * *

When the elder waved her hand, Hiccup beamed, pulling Merida close and sealing their marriage with a tender kiss. Everyone who was in attendance in Berk cheered and applauded, and the dragons surrounding the crowd all lifted their heads to shoot fire into the sky. In addition to the entire village, all of Merida's family and their friends; the guardians, Kozmotis and Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel, Eugene, Eliza, Emily, and they even managed to get Ralph and Vanellope to attend after they had returned to the arcade and made things right.

Upon returning, Vanellope discovered her true place in Sugar Rush as a born- well, programmed leader, and when the two described their adventure, the entire arcade saw the two former misfits and outcasts in a new light. Ralph was named a hero, and all the nicelanders, even Gene, were… nicer to him.

Needless to say, they were far more appreciated and liked now than before they were thrown into the perilous and dangerous adventure they had experienced.

Now, Vanellope was one of the many out of place characters being observed curiously by the Vikings, and Ralph raised a brow when Ruffnut stared up at him like a lovesick puppy, running her finger along his forearm.

"So muscular…" She muttered, giggling lightly. "They call me Ruffnut the Remarkable… what do they call you, handsome?"

"More like Ruffnut the Revolting, seriously, you're going to make him throw up from your ugly!" Tuffnut shouted from a few yards away.

"Shut up, idiot!" Ruffnut exclaimed, taking an axe and hurling it at her twin brother, missing his head by mere inches.

"Missed me, trollface!" Tuffnut laughed before walking off.

Ralph winced, tugging on his shirt collar as Ruffnut turned to smile back up at him. "So, you were saying?"

"U- Uh… I'm Ralph, the uh… wrecker…" He replied as he cleared his throat.

"Oh… you can wreck me any day, big boy…" Ruffnut giggled as she licked her lips.

"Alright, we're going to just go over here now- and I don't mean you!" Bunny shot a look at Ruffnut as he guided Ralph away, the female Viking groaning with disappointment. "She likes the larger blokes, that one." Bunny laughed.

"Thanks…" Ralph said, blushing like a tomato as he rubbed the back of his neck. "So… are you and Emily still…?"

"Oh yeah, we're doing great… and now that ol' Kozzie doesn't want to skin me, everything's peachy. He and Elsa are getting married soon too."

"That must be nice…" Ralph smiled sadly, earning a light pat on the shoulder from the Pooka.

"Hey, come on mate… you'll find yours someday. Must be plenty to pick from in that virtual world of yours." Bunny said.

"Well, there was someone I did like… but she likes someone else…" He sighed lightly. "To tell you the truth… I have a thing for blue chicks. Don't ask me why, but…" Ralph admitted.

Bunny laughed at this, but all in good fun. "Would've never guessed it, mate."

As they spoke, Alice and Jack had just finished congratulating Hiccup and Merida when she felt a light tapping on her arm. She turned to see Emily standing behind her, smiling lightly. "Emily, a pleasure to see you as always." She nodded.

"I should say the same for you, Alice." The two had become a bit closer, daring to even go as far as calling each other friends. The forest nymph led the young woman off to the side, taking a stroll around the village. "I heard you have been doing quite well for yourself as a guardian."

"Yes… I've been trying to reach out to children to help guide them in times of confusion and uncertainty… it is hard for children afflicted with trauma and tragedy to make sound decisions. I like to think of myself as the voice to point them in the right direction. I've finally found a way to help the children, to truly be a guardian to them. It's not as conventional as the others, but… it's important in a child's life nonetheless." Alice said, stopping to smile up at Emily. "And my center…? My true center… is justice."

Emily nodded slowly, her smile growing. "I'm impressed by your progress. You've truly fit in well among their company."

"Thank you for that sentiment." Alice nodded politely. "And what about yourself? How has your forest recovered?"

"It is nearly complete." Emily replied. "But I must tell you now… I do not plan to remain there once it is."

Alice tilted her head. "I don't understand."

Emily chuckled lightly. "I wish to relocate myself to the Warren. Bunny and I are mates now, and it is his wish as well as mine to remain close to each other. This leads to the subject I desire to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Alice raised her brows. "What is it?"

"As I shall no longer remain in my vast forest… I wish to leave it to someone else in my place." She smiled lightly. "All guardians require their own domain to call their own. Sandy has his island, Bunny has his Warren, Tooth has her palace and North his workshop. But you, and Jack, have none. I wish to bestow my domain upon you both."

Alice's eyes widened in surprise, humbled by the gracious offer. "Upon my word… that is an incredible gift to accept… I… I do not know how to repay you for it."

Emily held one of Alice's hands in hers. "You have encountered many horrors in your short life, Alice Liddell, and you fought through every last one of them. You deserve a sanctuary, a place to call your own alongside the one you love. I have finally found my happiness… and now it is time to also find yours."

Alice smiled softly, nodding and patting Emily's hand. "Then I accept your gift with gratefulness and appreciation."

"I hope that the Wonderland that has so long endured your struggles with you can finally be seen for its beauty and splendor. A world that magnificent within a brilliant mind such as yours should be tangible." Emily said.

"I really don't know how to thank you." Alice smiled kindly.

"You already have with your loyalty and friendship." Emily nodded, turning when Merida announced that she was about to throw the flowers.

Bunny approached Jack, the ice guardian whining a bit when his hair was ruffled. "Cut it out, Bunny!"

The Pooka laughed. "Hey, never a dull moment, huh?" He said, Merida giggling as her mother handed her the bouquet of flowers.

"Yeah..." Jack said, glancing up at him. "Bunny, I... I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too, mate." He tilted his head. "Hey, everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just... after everything with... with Alice, and the Queen, and..." He sighed. "You hated my guts in the past, I just don't see why you don't hate me even more now-"

"Hey, hey." Bunny stopped him, holding his shoulder. "Our quarrels in the past are just that, quarrels. We didn't really know each other then, we were a pair of dumb blokes."

"Guess some things don't change." Jack chuckled a bit as Bunny elbowed him lightly. "But I guess you're right..."

Before Jack could say anything else, Merida tossed the bouquet back, not realizing her strength as it flew over the crowd of women that had gathered, and the ice guardian blinked when it landed right on Bunny's ears. He glanced from the bouquet to Bunny, the women all looking at him and groaning to themselves. Jack started to snicker, inhaling sharply before bursting out into laughter. Bunny rolled his eyes, shoving his shoulder with his own as he pulled the bouquet off his head, turning around to where Alice and Emily were. Emily raised a brow, smirking lightly when Bunny held out the bouquet to her.

"Some beautiful flowers, m'lady?" Bunny asked as he smiled crookedly.

"Come now Bunnymund, surely you know I can make far more vibrant ones with a wave of my hand..." She took the bouquet to hold it. "However, I will simply appreciate the kind gesture." She chuckled.

Hiccup laughed as he joined Merida, sighing contently. "You are just... so beautiful." He said as he kissed her, and behind them, Valka gently side hugged Elinor as the Scottish queen teared up. Beside them, Fergus tried to retain his composure, holding back tears.

"Oh Fergus, there's no need to hide your feelings." Valka smiled gently.

"I- It's just... Merida's an elf now... look at her, Elinor, my beautiful lass is an elf!" Fergus burst into happy tears. "The heavens above has blessed m' darling girl!"

Elinor pinched the bridge of her nose. "He reads a LOT of fairy tales..." She rolled her eyes.

Vanellope burst out laughing as she joked around with Eliza, Gustav, and some of the dragons, Toothless sniffing her curiously and blinking as she glitched from the ground onto his back. "Giddyap, dragon!" Vanellope cried, giggling. "How do you start this thing up?"

"That's NOT how you ride a dragon." Gustav said as he crossed his arms.

"Don't worry, we can teach her." Eliza smiled at him. "You taught me well, didn't you?"

"Yeah..." Gustav smirked, blushing lightly when Eliza kissed his cheek.

Later that evening, all the guests stayed in Berk after the celebratory feast ended. After everyone went to sleep, Vanellope snuck out to Hiccup's hut, finding Toothless downstairs. She was about to wake him when she felt a light tapping on her shoulder, turning to find Kozmotis.

"Let him sleep." He smiled lightly. "You shouldn't be here anyway, I'm sure Hiccup and Merida are continuing their wedding celebration upstairs." He chuckled lightly, not expecting the child to know what he meant as he led her outside. As he did, he looked up at the moon, a gentle smile gracing his features.

"I'm glad you're good now." She smiled. "I'm still gonna call you Kozzie though, Bunny made up that nickname and it's funny." Vanellope giggled.

"I'm somehow not surprised." Kozmotis rolled his eyes playfully. "And I must offer you my congratulations on your new presidency in Sugar Rush, young lady."

"Thanks! I'm friends with all the racers now, and the players think I'm awesome!" She chirped. "Finally, I'm a real racer!"

"Indeed... you always were, Vanellope." He smiled.

"So... I guess we both found our happy ending, huh?" Vanellope smiled, sitting beside him as they looked out on the lake.

"No... no. This is not the end, Vanellope... it is a new beginning... for all of us." He said gently.

As they watched, a shooting star soared through the sky, Kozmotis smiling warmly as he watched Vanellope gasp with awe. It reminded him so much of Emily's fascination as a child... and knowing he had her back, he felt all the lighter. Indeed, a star was its most beautiful in its fall; for just as Emily had, it was not a fall into darkness and despair, but the star was a seed to be planted, the growth that would spring allowing new opportunities and goodwill to come to fruition.

* * *

Jack's eyes darted all over, taking in the environment around him. He was the very first to see work Alice had done, nodding upon viewing the completion of Alice's new domain; Wonderland had been drawn out of her mind and made a reality.

"Wow..." He breathed. "It's exactly how I imagined it."

"You mean how I imagined it." Alice laughed, wandering forward as they stood near her waterfall in the Vale of Tears.

"Right, right... so where are all your friends?" He asked.

"Still slumbering... it will take some time for them to wake. And thank goodness for it, I'm not yet ready to listen to all of their nonsensical babbling." Alice replied, turning around to face him. "There is a special place I wish to show you, first."

"Should I be worried?" Jack chuckled.

"What is it about intimacy lacking romance that worries you?" Alice giggled.

Jack blushed at this. "N- Nothing, it's just... who knows, you may have something creepy poking around."

"I assure you, nothing shall harm you here." Alice took his hand, kissing it before leading him forward. They traveled through the surrealistic landscape, enjoying each other's company.

"So... it was nice of Emily to give you her forest." Jack said.

"Indeed, more than I could ask. Far too generous." She replied.

Jack noticed they were beginning to enter a colder location, looking around at the beautifully sculpted statues of ice. Alice had remade the area to look far less dreadful, as she had done with all portions of Wonderland of course, and Jack beamed when he saw a large statue of himself in a courtyard like area. He looked up, a glowing moon with aurora lights shaped into angel wings radiating their essence outwards in waves.

"Alice... this is... this is beautiful." Jack spoke quietly, spinning around to try to get a good look at everything.

"Thank you. Come, I'll show you where you will be staying." Alice said to him.

"W- Wait, staying? You're letting me stay here?" Jack asked.

"Why is this all such a surprise to you?" Alice laughed.

"Because... this sounds kind of corny, but... it's too good to be true." Jack smiled.

Alice rolled her eyes playfully. "There's one last thing I want to show you now... you'll have plenty to explore on your own time." She said before motioning for him to follow her.

She led him along a path, reaching a small village setup. As they reached it, Jack slowed to a stop, his eyes widening as memories flooded his mind. "This... this is my town..." He breathed, continuing onward. "There's the meeting bell... and the community fire pit, and the mill... and then just around the corner would be-" He stopped, Alice moving aside to allow him to look upon the small cottage. He slowly extended a hand, blinking as he opened the door to see his childhood home just as he remembered it. "... I used to tell Eliza stories here... all the nearby kids used to come. We had so much fun every night." He smiled softly, walking around a bit more before turning, exhaling sharply as he drew out a laugh. "Alice, how did you-... how did you do all of this?"

"I took a fine look into your memories... it wasn't very difficult from that point on." She replied as they went out to sit on the small porch, gazing up at the beautiful sky.

"Alice... this is your home now, though. Why do all of this?" Jack asked.

"Because YOU are a part of my Wonderland now, Jack." Alice smiled. "The most important part of it, I daresay. For hundreds of years after your noble sacrifice for your sister, you lost your home just as I had. Well, perhaps not in the same manner, but... we were both homeless wanderers, searching for purpose, for love, for life." Jack smiled as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Now... we finally have a place to call home."

"Yeah..." Jack smiled, his arm draping around her shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze. "A nice reward for all we've had to deal with in our lives."

"I couldn't agree more." Alice replied before the two sat in simple, peaceful silence.

As both would discover, the fall of their enemies would leave them with a mind as clear as the sky on this night. Though much change had transpired for the group of heroes, it was all for the better. They all had much to live for, and now they had all the time in the world to do it. What dangers and evil that life would present to them, they would have fought alone, or in lesser numbers in the past. Now, their family had grown, and they were all ready for what the future brought them.

The End.

* * *

 **I want to thank anyone who had read, supported, favorited, reviewed, and followed this story or any of my work. This took many months of planning, editing, and executing to place this vision into words for all to enjoy. If you are not aware already, this is NOT the end of this series! I am currently writing out the next sequel in** **The Legendary Chronicles** **series, and it will be titled Adventures Through Time. For more information on this as well as teaser pictures and art, please check out my tumblr page, fanfictionqueen90. It will be some time before this story is completed; in the meantime, please feel free to check out my other works and keep an eye out for updates on my tumblr page. Once again, I hope this journey was well worth it for all of you, and I thank you once again for taking the time to read my work. You will definitely see more from me in the future, so stay tuned, and I wish you all my best.**

 **~Kapra**


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